Nalisha Kalideen
Dr Lindiwe Majele Sibanda
Nalisha Kalideen interviews LINDIWE MAJELE SIBANDA, CEO of the Food and Agriculture Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network
Maputo:
Over two hundred representatives from government ministries, the private sector, farmers and researchers from around southern Africa have gathered to discuss how agriculture development can lead to a better life for Africans.
The annual Food Agriculture Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) dialogue will platform much of the research done across southern Africa to reduce poverty and improve food security in the region and the continent.
The dialogue comes less than a week after the African Union (AU) proposed the continent be awarded billions of dollars in compensation for the effects of climate change.
Africa has contributed the least to climate change but the continent has suffered the most from the resulting effects such as severe droughts and increased average temperatures. The AU intends to use the compensation funds to develop energy-efficient projects that will support the continent’s development.
FANRPAN chief executive Dr Lindiwe Majele Sibanda spoke to Nalisha Kalideen about the regional policy dialogue and the AU’s united position on climate change ahead of the United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen.
Nalisha Kalideen: Africa is looking to sustain food security through trade in carbon emissions. What are some of your thoughts on this?
Dr Lindiwe Majele Sibanda: It’s amazing how many companies, non-governmental organisations and even banks are prepared to be part of this new economy of carbon trading. Most of the initial interest was around African countries keeping their forests and developed countries buying their (carbon) offsets. At the time we said that left out about 90% of other African countries. It’s only a few countries that have the dense forests like the DRC.
Ideally it’s about other sources of green and that can absorb carbon dioxide and mitigate against climate change. It means that agriculture, forests and soils can also contribute in generating wealth for Africa. So we are fighting for a bigger share (of the carbon emissions trade).It could be the new trillion dollar industry for Africa.
NK: What chance of success does Africa have in achieving this and food security?
LS: I’m totally convinced that this will be a success. Development is just not about assisting in money form, it’s about recreating institutions in a win-win partnership. In most cases Africa has always been accused of lagging behind and not being proactive. But in this case we are proactive. And we have a united agenda because every African leader, through the African Union, has supported the Africa with one voice policy on climate change.
NK: How does this translate into the United Nations conference on climate change being held in Copenhagen, Denmark, this December? The African Union plans to present its united position on climate change here.
LS: The big race is the Copenhagen one. And for me it’s 50 percent run. Africa has a united voice, we have shared our platform with the (US administration, the European donor platform) Obama’s administration and they have supported our position.
More exciting is that the agriculture agenda is back on the map, thanks to the recent global food crisis – a blessing in disguise.
NK: What are some of the challenges ahead?
LS: Some of the challenges that Africa faces are the dual challenges of economic growth and poverty reduction. As long as we don’t develop dual policies to address both these (challenges) we will be drawing deeper into poverty and not success.
NK: How can this be addressed?
LS: In proper policy implementation all stake holders should participate. In as much as government plays a role in creating policy, civil society has to implement and monitor this. It’s the farmers who have to buy the inputs, the ordinary persons who buy the product. It’s been a success of FANRPAN that we don’t talk against government. We engage in talk with government, with high-level policy makers, with leaders in government, with the farming community and the private sector using research evidence to guide policy dialogue.
