Healthy Choice MPCS

By Faye Nwafor

Ethiopia is among the top 5 exporters of sesame seeds globally and arguably the largest exporter in Africa but sends 95% of it’s harvest abroad in its raw form. According to a Gro Intelligence infographic, there is a hefty price to pay for countries who export the bulk of their harvest in an unrefined form. Sesame seeds are Ethiopia’s 2nd most important export crop yet due to selling them raw instead of hulled, Ethiopia missed out on $64 million dollars in value add for 2012. The economic returns from hulling the sesame seeds could have been absorbed by the local economy, providing revenue for more jobs, infrastructure and a gain for the tax base.

The missed opportunity for Ethiopia is an example replicated throughout the continent as well-meaning government agricultural programs and zealous tradesmen focus on the importance of raw exports over more sustainable opportunities in the processing of crops into useable finished products for sale both within and outside the country’s borders. Nigeria is a top seven grower of sesame seeds globally and the second largest producer on the continent. It has seen its own government discussions on the potential for export, but here too, the usual discussion of export leads to a conversation on sending bulk goods abroad in their raw form, foregoing the larger financial and employment opportunities in producing for markets within its borders. As is the case with Ethiopia, Nigeria’s agricultural leaders are engaging in conversations to scale up sesame seed production primarily with a focus on export markets.

While exporting agricultural products is a fine goal, doing so without developing a sustainable market for the refined version of the food crop leaves growers at the mercy of external buyers eager to pay the minimum for agricultural commodities in raw form. The question of what becomes the fate of agricultural commodities if and when international buyers choose to seek alternative suppliers has the potential to leave farmers vulnerable and without a market for harvested crops. The results of such a scenario could be disastrous, particularly for farmers whose crops only have export value. When the goals of federal agricultural schemes is to add value to cash crops we need to look beyond purely exporting these crops in raw form and create value for foods within their own borders.

Senegal’s Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs isn’t afraid to confront foreign fishing fleets when it comes to safeguarding his country’s fish resources. Minister Haidar El Ali has in recent years canceled the fishing licenses of dozens of foreign trawlers whose illegal fishing activities threaten his nation’s food security. Huge ships hailing from several nations including Russia, Ukraine, Spain and South Korea employ massive ships in Senegal’s waters to trawl small pelagic fish (fish that swim near the surface of the water) that is ground into animal feed. “Small pelagics  are a food staple in the Sahel region. In a single day those ships can trawl what an artisanal crew takes in a year,” El Ali explained. The minister has threatened fines in the range of hundreds of thousands of euros to combat what he sees as an onslaught on his nation’s seafood supply, yet the commercial activities continue. In one of his more aggressive actions, El Ali famously seized the 120-metre Russian trawler, the Oleg Naydenov, which had been carrying 1,000 metric tons of fish. He brought the ship ashore, holding it for several days as the fish sat and rot. There are other foreign factory ships operating in the country’s water, some able to haul 3,000 metric tons of fish at a time, valued at $100,000. As these trawlers can go out 10 times in a day, it is no wonder local fishermen have sounded an alarm on foreign overfishing which effects the catch of the locals.

 

The small pelagics El Ali is so adamant about protecting are an important food resource across the entire west African coastal region from Sierra Leone to Morrocco. Due to a combination of governmental mismanagement, corruption, heavily subsidized EU fishing fleets and a sovereign nation status for countries like Mauritania, West Africa’s waters are a most attractive option for illegal commercial fishing/ illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, known as IUU. While threatening the food supply, economy and income source of an estimated 2 million workers who are reliant on the sea for their livelihood in Senegal, IUU has some challenges in the works. El Ali is working on drafting new fisheries policy to impose stiffer penalties for illegal commercial fishing and environmental advocacy groups are shining a brighter light on Africa’s marine industry. El Ali is hoping to not just fine law breakers, but legally seize their ships.

By Faye Nwafor

 

Strengthening consumer and farmer education was one of the key recommendations of the United Nations Association Post-2015 Development Agenda Consultations roundtable on Affordable and Nutritious Food / Sustainable Agriculture, held at The New York Times headquarters in New York at the end of 2013. The consultations were conducted to inform the United Nations Secretary-General’s office of Post 2015 MDG agenda perspectives from civil society and the private sector on issues of anti-poverty and sustainability. Bettina Luescher, former CNN anchor and Chief spokesperson for World Food Programme, joined fellow panelists, Jaya Sarkar of Trickle Up, Jessica Sobel of Unilever, consultant Megan Wiseley, and Faye Nwafor of Healthy Choice MPCS to discuss opportunities for cross-sectoral collaboration, investment and policy priorities to maximize consumer knowledge about and access to affordable and nutritious food in America, Africa and the rest of the world.

The significant role to be played through public-private partnerships was championed by several panelists including Ms. Wiseley and Ms. Nwafor, the latter of whom’s background in surveying comparative food systems for healthier eating and a sustainable farming environment informed discussions on the necessity for crop diversification in meeting both consumer nutritional needs and the economic solvency of smallholder farmers. The panel concluded that an equally important priority necessitating further discussion was the empowerment of smallholder farmers with the aim of strengthening global food sovereignty. The roundtable findings, a program of the United Nations Foundation, will be presented by the Secretary-General in a report to the 68th General Assembly.

The New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) brought together investors, food industry and policy stakeholders at the 1st. Cassava Investment Forum, a conference held in Abuja to discuss the role of cassava in Nigeria’s economic future. Chairman of NEPAD Business Group Nigeria (NBGN) Chris Ezeh, who was represented by Dr. Nike Akande, emphasized the need to increase cassava yields. “It is a food security crop that can transform the economy,” his statement read. Nigeria grows over 50 million tonnes of cassava annually, with most of the commodity crop earmarked for human consumption. With the aim of strengthening Nigeria’s already premiere position as the world leader in cassava production, NBGN officials urged the federal government to strengthen partnerships with the private sector in order to streamline further development of the cassava value chain. Private firms, represented by executives including Nino Albert Ozara of Honeywell Flour Mills sought to learn about new product potential for their flour while research, policy and product development experts including Christiana Ebisi, Executive Director of Healthy Choice MPCS, assessed strategies to build consumer interest and new product possibilities for a variety of locally grown food crops. “At the end of the day,” Ms. Ebisi said, “success for the food industry is measured by the creation of food products that consumers love to buy, farmers make a good living from growing and the public derives nutrition when eating.” Showing support for the economic growth potential for farmers through cassava production was Abimbola Okoya, General Manager of British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation. Ms. Okoya shared her foundation’s commitment to supporting rural farmers by encouraging their mobilization and group formation as a precursor to qualification for funds set aside for youth and women farmers. Nigeria’s Bank of Agriculture also expressed support in this endeavor, setting aside 900 million Naira for women and youth entrepreneurs interested in the agro-related sector, according to Waziri Ahmadu, Executive Director, Bank of Agriculture.