ECOWAS
AGRICULTURE
Regional Food Security Reserve
Promote emergency food security reserves at regional level to organize an efficient
response to crises
The objective of the project is to support ECOWAS in the implementation of its food
security storage strategy, which is based on complementarity and subsidiarity of three
lines of action to deal with food crises. In addition to the 15 ECOWAS Member States,
the project covers Chad and Mauritania.
OVERVIEW
15 Member States
Pop : 308 million in
2011
GDP per capita : 983 $
in 2010
CONTEXT
In the event of a food crisis, even if
moderate, a large proportion of West African
households, given their high vulnerability,
have no choice but to sell off their very
limited assets.
Landlocked Sahelian countries have a long
tradition of accumulation and management of
grain reserves at both national and local
levels.
Since the last crisis in 2008, financial
reserves (which was the prefered storage
option between 1990 and 2005) revealed
their limits and ECOWAS member States
decided to embark on a new food storage
policy.
ECOWAS Regional Agricultural Policy
(ECOWAP), adopted in 2005, includes the
strengthening of food storage policy of its
member States and the implementation of a
regional food reserve as one of the priority
actions of the first five-years plan.
Even If the G20 could not reach a consensus
on price regulation at the international level,
member States, however, during the Cannes
Summit in November 2011, committed to
support the ECOWAS initiative to establish
the Regional Food Security Reserve. The
RFSR is built on a strong data collection
system and support to decision making .
DESCRIPTION
The project will :
(1)
support the set up of the Regional Food
Security Reserve as a regional buffer in
case of a major food crisis ;
(2)
support the national storage systems in
Member States and their network
(RESOGEST) ; and
(3)
strengthen the local storage capacities
Updated on :
www.afd.fr
December 2014
AGRICULTURE
The project will also ensure the extension
and refinement of the ECOAGRIS
information system and build the capacities
of the ECOWAS Regional Agency for
Agriculture and Food (ARAA) inaugurated
in Lomé in 2013.
IMPACT
The Regional Food Security Reserve will be
operational and will have necessary tools to
allow ECOWAS respond efficiently to
emergency food and nutrition crises.
National and local stocks will be strengthened
and their governance will be improved in order
to better meet the needs of the most
vulnerable to food crisis.
This project is financed by the
European Union with an
amount of 56 million EUR from
the funds of RIP - 10th EDF.
The opinions expressed in this
document are not to be considered as reflecting the
official position of the European Union.
KEY POINTS
Regional stock of 100,000 tonnes by
2018 of which 32,500 are funded by the
project
17 countries have national stocks
The local storage capacity is increased
by 50% by 2018
COMMENTS
« It is essential for ECOWAS
Member
States
to
be
immune to a food crisis.
Indeed, the management of
food security in ECOWAS
region is a major concern for
our governments, regional organizations,
including ECOWAS, WAEMU, CILSS, and
their partners. »
Dr Lapodini Marc Atouga, ECOWAS
Commissioner for Agriculture, Environment
and Water Resources
CONTACT
FINANCING INSTRUMENT : Grant
TOTAL AMOUNT : EUR 56 million
including 29.7 managed by AFD
AFD Nigeria
[email protected]
PARTNERS : EU, ECOWAS, AECID,
CILSS/Agrhymet
+ 234 (0) 703 249 4771
BOARD APPROVAL : December 2013
www.afd.fr
CZZ 1926