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FAO/GFAR Global Initiative on Post-harvest Technology, Phase 1
Report on the Regional Workshop for Africa
Held at Entebbe, Uganda
17-19 September 2001
Organised by FOODNET
Report prepared by
Dr. Shaun Ferris (FOODNET coordinator)
and
Dr. Chris Wheatley (consultant)
Table of contents
Introduction..................................................................................................................... 3
Overview
of GIPHT and GFAR initiative..................................................................... 3
Regional
report.............................................................................................................. 5
Synthesis
of major issues from the sub-regional reports...................................... 5
Subregional
SWOT analyses................................................................................... 7
Cross-cutting
issues............................................................................................... 11
Strategic
priorities:..................................................................................................... 13
Goal
and purpose................................................................................................... 13
Sub-regional
strategies.......................................................................................... 13
Theme
areas........................................................................................................... 15
Subregional
priorities............................................................................................... 256
Conclusions........................................................................................................... 277
Annexes
Programme ..28
List of participants 29
What is strategic Analysis 32
About GFAR 40
About ASARECA 42
About FOODNET 43
From Quantity to Quality FAO
GIPHT Initiative 44
About PhAction 55
Process Report 60
Sub-regional reports 63
The Postharvest Sector in Southern Africa 63
The Postharvest Sector in West and
Central Africa 75
The Postharvest Sector in Eastern Africa 113
SWOT analysis 225
Working groups 228
Specialist reports 229
This report contains the proceedings of the Africa regional consultation on the proposed Global Initiative on Post-Harvest Technology (GIPhT), sponsored by FAO and GFAR. The consultation was held in Entebbe, Uganda on 15-17 September 2001. The programme and list of participants can be found in the annexes to this report, Annex 1 and Annex 2.
The inputs to the consultation were:
§ Outline presentations on the dimensions and strategic development of the post-harvest sector (FAO and C. Wheatley)
§ Presentations on existing sub-regional strategies (ASARECA)
§ Three sub-regional papers prepared by expert consultants, for Eastern Southern and West-Central Africa
§ A series of specialist papers by different stakeholders in the post-harvest sector (Research, development/NGO, policy makers, businesses )
§ Information on existing post-harvest networks (FOODNET, PhAction)
The consultation proceeded through
the use of working groups organised by:
§ Sub-region, to identify sub-regional priorities and strategies, including development of a SWOT matrix.
§ Theme areas, for detailed discussion of objectives and concrete activities in specific, high priority areas.
The details of the process that was used to generate priorities for sub-regions and for each theme area are provided in the process documentation report (see Annex 3). This report briefly reviews the subregional reports, highlighting key issues. The conclusions of the different working groups are presented. These comprise:
§ An agreed goal and purpose for the post-harvest initiative in Africa
§ Sub-regional strategies that can be developed to achieve the purpose and thus contribute to the overall goal
§ Priority theme areas, with concrete activities that the initiative can undertake
§ Sub-regional priorities for the post-harvest initiative, both a regards the theme areas, and for particular commodities.
In addition to the main body of this report, the Annexes contain the full text of the sub-regional reports, and of all other presentations made during the workshop, whether written papers or PowerPoint presentations, and the outputs of each working group.
Overview of GIPHT and GFAR initiative
The
Agro-Industries and Post-Harvest Management Service of FAO (FAO/AGSI) with the endorsement of Ph-Action, has launched an international initiative geared toward
facilitating development within the post-harvest sector of developing
countries. This initiative will be implemented in two-phases:
·
Phase 1- Developing a global perspective of the post-harvest sector, through
the planning and implementation of five coordinated technical regional
workshops. The current workshop in Africa is the first of these to take place,
and will be followed by the other four regional workshops before the end of
2001.
·
Phase 2- Conducting a five-day International Technical Consultation on
Post-Harvest, with the objective of launching a Global Initiative on
Post-Harvest Technology (GIPhT).
FAO/AGSI is fully funding the implementation of Phase 1 activities, which will be executed in collaboration with the Global Forum for Agricultural Research (GFAR), during 2001. Funds are currently being solicited to implement Phase 2 Activities.
Phase 1 Activities - Planning of Five FAO-GFAR Regional Workshops
In Phase 1, each of the five regional workshops will
appraise the current status of the post-harvest sector from both institutional
and stakeholder perspectives in developing countries. The identification the
priority problems, potentials and constraints of the sector are critical. This provides a basis for initiating the
development of an action plan geared toward facilitating these countries to
keep abreast of the changing requirements of the sector, while fulfilling their
fundamental objectives of maintaining a safe, secure, and stable food supply.
It is within this context, that FAO/AGSI, in collaboration with GFAR, embarked upon the planning and implementation
of five Technical Regional Workshops.
Each of these
Workshops will seek to:
·
Identify and
analyze the problems, potentials and constraints of the post-harvest sector in
each region
· Assess the technical, organisational, institutional and information needs of the post-harvest sector in each region
· Identify major areas for improvement and development
· Prepare a Regional Strategy for post-harvest
· Identify concrete follow-up actions to be undertaken for implementation of this strategy
Information derived from
these Workshops will be used as a basis for the development of a GIPhT and a plan of action for its
implementation. The development of Concrete
Action Proposals by these Workshops is therefore critical.
Regional report
Synthesis of major issues from the sub-regional reports
This
summary will focus on the trends and priority issues that were identified in
each report. It will not summarise the background information on the current
status of each sub-region, which can be found in the Annex 4.
Trends
The three sub-regional reports concur in identifying a number of major
trends that are affecting the development of the post-harvest sector in Africa.
These are:
§
Demographic:
continued population growth (despite HIV/AIDS) accompanied by very rapid rates
of urbanization. Urbanization impact on food habits, providing opportunities
for upgrading products (quality, packaging) for higher income segments, and for
development of more convenient food products based on traditional foods and
commodities.
§
Trade liberalization,
with enhanced prospects for exports offset by increased competition from
imported foods and commodities in domestic markets. Opportunities for export to
adjacent countries with similar food preferences exist (regional trade), as
well as for more global export markets. In general, market forces are
penetrating into former local subsistence-based economies. The old parastatal
commodity marketing boards have largely been dismantled, with the private
sector filling (or not) the gaps, and farmers are more exposed to fluctuating
prices than previously. Traditional export commodities (coffee, cocoa etc)
continue to suffer from price declines.
§
Concentration is
occurring in the agrifood sector, with penetration of multinational (and South
African) firms into local markets, and increasing vertical integration of major
export oriented commodity chains.
§
Food security
continues to be a major issue, but is being increasingly addressed at
sub-regional level through market oriented strategies, i.e. food security is
not only seen as a function of on farm production, storage and processing of
food, but also in terms of generation of sufficient income to provide adequate
entitlements to food at household level. (e.g. ASARECA and FOODNET strategies).
Priority constraints
§
In local markets,
consumers have low purchasing power, and producers are facing increasing
competition from imported foods
§
Storage losses,
including those due to post-harvest pests.
§
Poor
infrastructure and logistics (transport, utilities, communications)
§
Discontinuity of
supply of raw materials for processing, due to seasonal and other factors. Lack
of farmer organisation hinders assembly of sufficient volumes to meet the needs
of larger scale commodity chains.
§
Under-utilization
of installed capacity in large scale processing enterprises, especially in West
Africa
§
Limited access to
formal credit/financial products, especially for small-scale enterprises. The
financial products on offer are often not well adapted to the requirements, and
barriers to accessing them are high.
§
Procurement of
equipment and spares is difficult, especially if imported, and poor maintenance
of equipment is common.
§
There is a low
level of public investment in post-harvest research and development, and there
are few trained human resources. Gaps between R and D systems, and users
(producers, processors, industry) complicate the R and D process, from research
priority setting through to dissemination of new technologies. The R and D
system also suffers from difficulty of scientists in accessing and exchanging
technical information.
§
Product quality
suffers from a lack of application of methods for loss and quality assessment,
and from the variable standards that exist, and which may be inconsistently
enforced. Traditional products tend to be of low quality.
Priority opportunities
§
Added value
product development based on traditional foods, and product/market
diversification from staple commodities. This includes the opportunities for
upgrading traditional processes and products and improving the quality and food
safety of local products, allowing access to higher value markets
§
Niche export
markets for organics, nutraceuticals, underutilized crops. This requires market
intelligence for exploitation of these novel commodity chains
§
Better commodity
chain organisation between farmers and processors or traders (e.g. contract
farming)
§
Support services
that are more demand driven, providing services in the areas of enterprise
management, credit, market information, technology access, training etc)
§
In the technology
area, opportunities exist for the development and application of low cost
drying (e.g. solar), storage, packaging technologies (at all scales), and for
cleaner production, more efficient waste and by-product use/recycling.
§ There is a general opportunity at institutional level to re-orient research priorities in line with market or demand-driven priorities, and involving partnerships with a wider range of stakeholders involved in the post-harvest system.
§ Opportunities for the exchange of information and technologies between countries and regions across the South exist.
Priorities for Action
Based on these constraints and opportunities highlighted in the subregional reports, a number of priorities for future action were identified by the consultants. These are presented here, and should be compared with those that were generated in the working groups during the consultation process.
Identification of market opportunities for a range of added value products/high value niches (organic, convenience, upgraded -high quality- traditional, from under-utilized and staple crops, nutraceuticals, street foods, traditional products etc). This will involve International market intelligence. The development of methods that can be applied by a variety of stakeholders is needed.
§ Policy options to ensure that local produce faces fair competition from imported foods.
Options for improving the organisation of links between farm production and added value processing/marketing in prioritised commodity chains (e.g. contract farming)
§
Options for development of effective
services for the post-harvest area e.g. Financial, business skills development, technology (information, selection, and access), market information and export promotion.
Storage and drying technologies: research, development and extension for small- to large-scale (farm to industry) enterprises, including storage pest control/management, on farm storage for capturing off season high prices, adding value to wastes and by products (for food and feed use), and cleaner production/processing technologies.
Enhanced hygiene and sanitation in the food chain/system through the application of quality standards and quality assurance schemes.
Better R and D partnerships between universities, institutes, industry and other stakeholders, i.e. enhanced collaboration between different stakeholders in the system. This could include collaboration in setting research priorities, and in generating and evaluating new technologies. Human resource development in the R and D system is important.
Policy makers are often not aware of the importance of the post-harvest sector, nor of the potential impact that a range of policy changes could have on the sector. Opportunities to engage policy makers and to influence the setting of policies so as to maximize the contribution of the post-harvest sector to sustainable economic growth, food security and poverty alleviation exist and need to be seized.
Subregional SWOT analyses
As a strategic planning tool, a SWOT analysis was conducted at sub-regional level by workshop participants. Three groups were constituted, corresponding to the areas in each of the sub-regional reports: West-central Africa, eastern Africa and Southern Africa. Each working group was asked to identify the major strengths and weakness of the post-harvest sector in that region (internal factors) and external opportunities and threats that are bearing on that sub-region. This analysis is an aid to the identification of strategic priorities in later stages of the workshop. The sub-regional reports were not adequate for this task, since
§ Their terms of reference did not specify an analysis of post-harvest sector strengths
§ The analysis of constraints and opportunities was not prioritised, with many long lists that required group work to determine the main priorities.
See Annex 11 for the summary SWOT for each sub-region.
Eastern Africa
Internal strengths
§ East Africa has a diverse set of climates and agro-ecologies, favourable for the production of a wide range of commodities.
§ Local indigenous knowledge on the production, storage and processing of crops is strong, and can be build on.
§ Low labour costs strengthen the competitive position of the area
§ There is a strong history of collaboration at sub-regional level. National institutions are used to working together, and harmonization of national policies and regulations is progressing well.
§ The horticulture sector (especially) has some success stories in developing commodity chains through combining good post-harvest technology, policies and institutional collaboration. These provide lessons that can be applied in other sectors/chains.
Internal weaknesses
§ Individual institutions are often weak, under-funded, poorly managed, and without the incentives and policies (or implementation of policies) to encourage the achievement of their goals.
§ Institutional and sectorial strategies are still not market driven, leading to the development of inappropriate technologies that will not be adopted. Information is often wrongly targeted.
§ Traditional products are caught in the low value, low quality, low profit trap. Inefficient production sand handling compound this problem.
§ There is a gap between extension services and the private sector. This affects both the impact achieved from R and D, and the setting of priorities for R and D efforts.
§ Despite the recognised need for a market-oriented approach, institutions lack capacity for market-based analysis, and for the enterprise development initiatives that this drives.
External opportunities
§ There are expanding opportunities for diversification of commodities and products, for a range of national regional, export and niche markets.
§ Urbanization is creating a large internal market
§ Regional trade blocks encourage the growth of trade within the East Africa sub-region, and provide export opportunities close (and similar) to the home market.
§ Building on indigenous knowledge, there are opportunities for value added local products, especially through improved quality, packaging etc.
§ New information and communications technologies provide mechanisms to enhance market access.
§ The growth in rural finance options (micro-finance etc) provides opportunities for expanded enterprise development efforts in rural areas.
External threats
§ HIV/AIDs is a major threat to the fabric of society, with implications for labour availability in the most economically active segment of the population, and for food and nutrition requirements in urban and rural areas (see cross-cutting issues section).
§ Globalization is a threat as well as an opportunity for the region. A specific threat is the dumping of subsidized foodstuffs and staple commodities (grains) from the developed world, that undermines agricultural production in Africa.
§ Competitiveness hindered by a range of factors such as poor infrastructure, inappropriate policies (and their implementation), low level of education, corruption and poor governance.
§ Unstable operating environments, caused by political conditions and natural disasters, e.g. floods and drought, diseases.
West Africa
Internal strengths
§ The traditional food system is seen as a major strength in West Africa. Local populations exhibit a strong preference for traditional foods, including a wide range of processed food products (e.g. gari and fufu). The indigenous processing equipment, vibrant small enterprises and traders associated with this system constitute an important resource for the sub-region. Trade in such products between countries in the sub-region is already important, if often informal.
§ Associated with this food system is a diverse array of human resources, including those directly involved in the production and marketing of foods (farmers, processors, traders) and support institutions (NGOs, R and D institutions). Additionally, the organisation of farmers into associations provides significant social capital at local level.
§ There are a number of existing export commodities (e.g. coffee, pineapples) that already link the countries of west Africa with international markets.
Internal weaknesses
§ The institutions associated with the post-harvest sector in west Africa often work in isolation from each other, and from the enterprises they support. Gaps between research, extension, farmers and industry are a major weakness. This is also associated with the poor managerial capacity of many enterprises, and with the poor record of technology transfer in the sub-region. The extension services in post-harvest technology are particularly weak.
§ There is a lack of focus in R and D: limited resources would be better spent on fewer commodities.
§ Physical infrastructure is deficient, including road transport, utilities and communications.
§ Market information is difficult to obtain, complicating decision making by actors in the commodity and food chains.
§ Food quality grades and standards are lacking
§ Credit is difficult to obtain.
External opportunities
§ Opportunities exist in export markets, and these include markets within the west African region itself: regional trade in quality, traditional food products is growing fast.
§ Urbanization is creating opportunities for processed, convenience and added value foods in internal markets
§ Markets for by-products and wastes, create opportunities for more integrated food systems.
§ Developments in information technology
§ New organisational arrangements within the food chain (e.g. contract farming) offer opportunities for smaller farmers to link to growth markets.
§ Business opportunities exist for improved transportation services that take advantage of growing internal and regional trade in food products.
External threats
§ Globalization is seen as a threat, through the increased imports of food products and basic commodities that occurs.
§ The policy environment is often a hindrance to the development of the post-harvest system, either through inappropriate policies or through inconsistent implementation. Government instability is a related issue.
§ While HIV/AIDS is not yet a major problem in the region, the threat for the immediate future is large (low labour productivity).
§ Threats of climatic and other disasters are real and constant.
§ Insecure land tenure and a poorly developed land market result in an inflexible commodity production sector that, together with persistent problems in obtaining access to credit, prevents further development of the sector.
Southern Africa
Internal strengths
§ There is a thriving small-scale processing sector, producing range of traditional food products at village level.
§ Major large scale food processing enterprises in South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe, internationally competitive.
§ There is a strong sub-regional collaborative spirit, and supportive government plans and policies.
§ Institutional support to the sector is strong, with good capacity for research and training. Regional training programmes in the areas of trade, food safety and marketing are effective. NGOs are conducting relevant extension services, but coverage is patchy.
§ Abundant, cheap labour
§ Production of exportable commodities
§ Good infrastructure for communications and transport within the sub-region.
Internal weaknesses
§ There has been insufficient investment in support services, such as post-harvest research, and extension and development services which have very patchy coverage. This has resulted in rural population groups having very limited access to information and credit, for example, and results in persistent poor quality of produce and products.
§ At regional level, there is duplication of R and D effort, a lack of capacity building and poor interchange of information.
§ The educational level of the target population is low
§ Commodity chain development is restricted by the seasonal nature of supply of agricultural products.
§ Government bureaucracy can stifle innovation.
External opportunities
§ Urbanization is occurring very fast in the region. Urban centres provide scope for higher value products in national markets (especially South Africa) and for convenience foods.
§ Export opportunities are created by favourable policies, for example preferential trade for export (AOGA), privatisation, more liberalized markets.
§ There is unexploited demand for indigenous products, both in national and export markets.
§ The sub-region has relative political stability, available land and climatic diversity, all favouring further development of the post-harvest sector. Information and communications technology and infrastructure are also developing fast in the region.
§ Donors are paying increasing attention to the region. Micro-finance is one area which is expanding.
External threats
§ Globalization is a threat to the production of staple crops, through the import of cheap commodities. Additionally, increasing competition in international markets for traditional commodity exports is being felt. This is also a threat to some small-scale food processors.
§ HIV-AIDS is a major threat in the region, through loss of human capacity.
§ Political instability is a problem in some countries of the region, as is the changes in policy that this causes.
§ Natural disasters - drought and floods - are continually threatening the region. Mozambique has especially suffered.
§ Price fluctuations in international markets, inflation and recession are economic threats to the orderly development of the post-harvest sector.
Cross-cutting issues
HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS is already having a demographic impact in East and Southern Africa, and is a major threat to West/Central Africa in the near future. HIV/AIDS affects the most economically active cohort of the population, and therefore reduces the availability and productivity of labour. There are also implications for the type of food products that are demanded in the marketplace: HIV-AIDS sufferers need easily digestible, nutritious food.
In Southern Africa, the widespread prevalence of HIV/AIDS can be expected to provide incentives for investment in more capital intensive agricultural production and processing technologies. In other sub-regions, and in lower input production/post-harvest systems, the reduction in labour productivity implies that appropriate technologies that reduce the need for heavy labour are required if access to food and livelihoods are to be maintained through this difficult period. This has implications for post-harvest technology development.
Nutritionally, emphasis could be placed on increasing provision for animal protein the diet, and the development of processed, value added animal-based food products.
Gender
Throughout Africa, many small-scale food processing operations are undertaken mainly by women. Their needs need to be taken into account during technology development. Since women are also childminders, the need for equipment to be safe in the presence of young children is also an important issue. Women are also key to the success of post-harvest operations as enterprises or businesses: capacity building for them is not just a technical issue, but also involves the business skills necessary to operate in an increasingly complex market economy.
Environment
The decisions that farmers make regarding which crops they produce, and how these are integrated into farm-level production systems, which in turn determine overall land use patterns, have a major impact of the sustainability of natural resources in a given area. These cropping decisions are increasingly determined by market forces in combination with the food security needs of farming households. The post-harvest sector in a market oriented situation, provides the conduit through which market information reaches farmers, and thus contributes to the decisions they make concerning what to produce. Commodity chain priority setting thus needs to take into account environmental factors, since there is a danger that market forces could promote crops and production practices that are not sustainable in the medium to long term.
Africa has been prone to a number of environmental disasters - e.g. floods and drought. These more extreme weather conditions may be associated climate change on a global scale. These situations will continue to occur, and perhaps more often than in the past, exacerbated by increasing population pressure and growing environmental degradation. Commodity chian priorities need the take the probability of such disasters into account. Post-harvest systems that recycle wastes and by-products, and assist regeneration of natural resources, need to be encouraged (favourable policies and R and D innovations are needed). These should also address pollution that occurs from primary processing of many commodities. Decentralization of processing can, in itself, assist mitigation of the effects of concentration of pollutants in a given area. Recycling and use of wastes for animal feeding, and for production of organic fertilizers, needs more attention.
Strategic priorities:
Goal and purpose
Goal
To contribute to sustainable economic growth, poverty
alleviation and food security in Sub-Saharan Africa
This statement identifies the broad development goal towards which the GIPhT initiative in Africa will contribute. In line with the development strategies of the region as a whole, the goal is concerned with improving the welfare of the poor through enhanced food security and through sustained and equitable economic growth that delivers reductions in the incidence of poverty.
Purpose:
To enhance smallholder farmer livelihoods through the development of sustainable, demand-driven and equitable post-harvest interventions in sub-Saharan Africa.
The statement of purpose identifies what the GIPhT initiative will be able to achieve, and which contributes to the goal. The focus of the in