Originally published on cgiar.org by:International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) on May 12, 2008
UN Headquarters, New York - Africa presented a "fantastic opportunity" to complement and stabilize the global food system with small-farmer production in ways not foreseen at present, Hartmann, Director General of IITA, said on Friday, 9 May 2008, during a press conference at the United Nation's Headquarters in New York, in line with the 16th Session of the UN's Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) which runs from 5-16 May 2008.

Floating ideas and hopes for realizing the continent's agricultural potential, Hartmann said good news was spreading everywhere in Africa, which would prove to be a rich stage for developing a solution to the unstable food system of today. Small producers could complement the major commercial systems that had been carrying the burden of feeding the world. Africa had the necessary land mass, but did not need to raise productivity in the short term, given the present food crisis. However, it had the requisite arable lands and ability to grow different crops in different seasons.

He said what was needed was the decision by world leaders to make use of Africa's assets in feeding the new demands arising from increasing populations and economic growth in the mega-economies of China, India, Brazil and elsewhere around the globe. The World Bank was projecting population growth of 50 per cent by 2030, which would be catastrophic without major changes in how people were fed. Africa had a very big new role to play in such a scenario. Everyone had seen what had been done in Ghana and in Malawi, and among the lessons learned were that technology or aid on their own was not enough. Progress must be based on a holistic approach, underpinned by technology.

Joining Hartmann at the press conference, held as the CSD wrapped up the first half of its two-week session, were Kathleen Abdalla, Chief of the National Information, Monitoring and Outreach Branch of the Division for Sustainable Development in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and David O'Connor, Chief of the Division's Policy, Integration and Analysis Branch.

For more information about the event and the press conference, please visit:
UN media release of the press conference: http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs//2008/080509_Africa.doc.htm
UN News Centre online article: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=26624&Cr=africa&Cr1=agriculture
Webcast of the press conference: http://www.un.org/webcast/2008.html
Photo link of the press conference: http://www.un.org/av/photo/detail/0177007.html