Briefing Paper or Note

Niger, owing to its climatic, institutional, livelihood, economic, and environmental context, is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world. Poverty is pervasive in Niger and it ranks low on almost all the human development indicators. Agriculture is the most important sector of Niger’s economy and accounts for over 40 percent of national gross domestic product (GDP) and is the principal source of livelihood for over 80 percent of the country’s population.

Despite uneven performance, Senegal’s agricultural sector remains vital to the national economy. It accounts for roughly one-sixth of gross domestic product (GDP) and continues to be a major source of employment. Nearly three in five Senegalese (58 percent) live in rural areas and depend primarily on agriculture for their livelihood. Expanding the sector and achieving food self-sufficiency is one of the core pillars of the country’s economic development strategy, plan Senegal emergent.

This note examines agricultural risk in Mozambique and its impacts on crop production between 1992 and 2015. It summarizes the findings of an agricultural risk and solutions assessment carried out in 2013 and 2014 to prioritize risks based on their frequency and severity of impact, and to identify any areas of Mozambique’s existing agricultural risk management framework that can be improved. These findings led to a number of practical recommendations that can usefully inform strategic planning and policy formulation relating to risk in the country. 

A flatoxins are a group of chemicals produced by certain mold fungi. These fungi, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, can be recognized by olive green or graygreen, respectively, on corn kernels, in the field or in storage (Figure 1). Although aflatoxins are not automatically produced whenever grain becomes moldy, the risk of aflatoxin contamination is greater in damaged, moldy corn than in corn with little mold. Aflatoxins are harmful or fatal to livestock and are considered carcinogenic (cancer-causing) to animals and humans.

The realisation of the millennium development goal of reducing by half the number of people suffering from hunger by the year 2015 will require a significant increase in the amount of food grains produced in developing countries. However, food quality and safety issues resulting from aflatoxin contamination present a serious obstacle to improving nutrition, enhancing agricultural production and linking smallholder farmers to markets.

This discussion paper will cover the important role of ICT in the provision of extension and advisory services (EAS). EAS have been defined as “the dissemination of expert agriculture knowledge and practices” (Toyama, 2011). The communication from extension and advisory services is complex because it comes from many sources -- government, universities, NGOs, private sector companies -- and it involves not just information but hands-on communication. Many of the farmers who need to be served in developing countries are illiterate.

This brief two pager provides a background to the issue fo climate change and food security.

The Agricultural sector has the greatest potential for improving rural livelihood and eradicating the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP). By the end of the GTP period, the government seeks to double yields of smallholder farmers largely by scaling-up best practices, producing high value crops, expanding irrigation development and promoting natural resource conservation.