This paper presents an update on an initiative by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), on the development and promotion of regional strategic food and agricultural commodities value chains in Africa. The cornerstone of the approach to the implementation of this initiative is a pilot scheme in two Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the Common Market for Eastern

The rate of increase of agricultural production, and especially food production, in Africa appears to have slowed down in the last few years. For 1959/60, the latest season for which data are available, provisional estimates indicate that there was a slight fall in production from the level of the previous year. On a per caput basis, food production appears to have fallen below the prewar level for the last three years.

With the goal of stimulating the production and utilisation of indigenous cereals, rootss tubers and legumes in particular sorghum in composite flours for bakery products in traditional, new and modified food products it will have the following objectives^

a) ensure better understanding of the importance and potential

for industrial application of sorghums etc. and the technologies

available for milling and baking coarse grains'

b) ascertain the status and plans of existing 'national composite

flour programmes or the possibilities of establishing such

Au cours des deux dernières décennies, l'Afrique a graduellement perdu les moyens qu'elle avait de nourrir sa population et de financer ses investissements dans le secteur agricole. Elle dépend de plus en plus des pays industrialisés pour la satisfaction des besoins. La question logique est par conséquent de savoir s'il existe un quelconque espoir pour les populations d'Afrique.

This study, which is part of in-depth studies on the economies of African least developed countries envisaged in the ECA Medium-term Plan for the period 1984—1989, underscores the objective of the attainment of food self—sufficiency as a priority area called for in such key documents, as Freetown Declaration (November 1976) of Ministers of Agriculture, the Regional Food Plan for Africa (l978) the Monrovia Declaration of Commitment on Guidelines and Measures for National and Collective self-reliance in social and Economic Development for the Establishment of a New Economic Order (July 1979),

This document contains information on Fostering Agricultural Transformation for Food Security, Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction in Africa, Conference of African Ministers of Finance,Planning and Economic Development/Fortieth session of the Commission.

The objectives of the study are: (i) to assess the performance of the food marketing system in Africa; (ii) to identify the different barrier to credit and assess their impact on the performance of the informal food marketing system; (iii) to suggest sound recommendations on improving informal food marketing operators' access to credit.

This paper focused on the review of the food and agricultural situation in Africa. Many African countries are attempting to increase the diversity of their agricultural production, both in order to lessen their dependence on a narrow range of exports and to improve the nutritional quality of diets.

The paper suggests a way forward to increase considerably the food-production in the Sub-Saharan African countries which have perpetually been suffering from acute shortage of food grains. Contrary to observed trends in most parts of the world, food production in Sub-Saharan Africa has failed miserably to keep pace with the growing population. Consequently, the region has been one of the most famine-prone regions on the planet. There is a lot to be learnt from the experience of many of the Asian countries who have made it on the food front inspite of equally difficult population pressures.

The goal of the workshop was to identify strategic investments and policy actions that African Governments, firms, and organizations can undertake, with the support of their development partners, to foster agricultural and economic transformation in Africa. The workshop focused on forces that will influence the evolution of African economies well into the 21st Century. The emphasis was not simply on the impact of structural adjustment programmes but rather on the broader process of economic adjustment that would lead to more productive economic systems.

Les chiffres suivants montrent l'importance socio-économique des racines et des tubercules en Afrique: cette dernière assure plus de 50% de la production mondiale de ces tubercules dont environ 90% sont destinées sont destinées à la consommation humaine. Ces produits constituent d'importantes sources de glucides dans la mesure où ils assurent 40% des besoins énergétiques journaliers dans nombre de pays africains, en particulier en Afrique occidental et centrale.

This paper examines managing the nexus between poverty, declining agricultural productivity and natural resources requires an approach that integrates appropriate technologies, institutional innovation, and an enabling policy environment.