This document discusses regional plans for biofortification in Africa. It outlines the Framework for African Food Security which aims to increase resilience through decreasing food insecurity and linking vulnerable people to agricultural opportunities. The plans focus on improved risk management, increased and more affordable food production, economic opportunities, and diversified, more nutritious diets. Regional coordination is seen as key through high-level political support, shared priorities and accountability, and incentives for private sector investment in nutrition-sensitive value chains. Information sharing and advocacy are also emphasized to address preferences and overcome constraints such as facilitating trade of biofortified crops. Partnerships between organizations are proposed to advocate for and analyze impacts of biofortification at regional and national levels.

1. Weaving biofortification into the
global development agenda:
Regional plans
Prof Sheryl Hendriks
Food Security @ UP

2. Framework for African Food
Security
• To increase
resilience at all
levels by
decreasing food
insecurity and
linking
vulnerable
people into
opportunities for
agricultural
growth

3. Improving resilience –
the African agenda
• Improved risk management
• Increased supply of affordable food
through increased production and
improved market linkages
• Increased economic opportunities for
the vulnerable
• Increased quality of diets through
diversification of food among the
target groups.

4. FAFS Objective 4
• Increased quality of diets through
diversification of food among the
target groups.
• While investment in increasing the
production of staple foods will have an
immediate, significant, impact on the
poor, increasing the ability of the poor to
access sufficient protein and
micronutrients through varied, nutritious
diets is necessary to ensure sustainable
gains in the battle against poverty,
hunger and malnutrition.

5. Regional push factors – shared vision
• Political endorsement at the highest level
– Policy statement passed by Heads of States
– Setting priorities from national consensus/plans
– Cross-subsidisation benefits
• Policy coercion
– Country plan reviews
– Mutual accountability & M&E
• Incentives
– Nutrition sensitive value chain incentives for private
sector investment
– Tax waivers for such products
– Direct contracting
– Ensuring and improving tradability of goods

6. First things first – information and advocacy
• Regional knowledge platform for scientists
– Peer learning
– Peer support
– Leverage of resources to support programmes
– Knowledge products and policy support
• Regional knowledge platforms for advocacy
– Cross-sectoral discussion
– Civil society discussion targeted at women (clinics,
weaning, school feeding)
– Production and consumption change programme
ideas
– Public awareness to address preferences and
prejudices

7. Overcoming constraints
• Technical support for registration processes
– common legislation to facilitate approval and
movement of produce and establish benchmarks
• Economies of scale for:
– Germ plasm banks
– Seed multiplication & distribution
– Capacity development
– Advocacy and awareness campaigns
– Learning from the biotech debates and resistance

8. Partnerships?
• CG Centres playing a greater public and
coordinating role among players
– advocacy
– Evidence-based analysis of potential and real impacts
• WFP P4P
• Regional DPs and NGOs => Ag Sector Working
Group pressure
• SROs => support for NROs
• University Community Engagement

9. Thank you