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Food Security and EnergyFood security arises from a combination of various factors, the most basic of which include access to land, farm inputs and water for irrigation as well as appropriate energy and technologies for processing harvest. In Southern Africa, food security has been an issue of concern for the past three decades and in the last 5 years, almost all SADC member countries, with the exception of South Africa and Mauritius have faced acute food shortages. The issue of food security is being tackled by governments and development partners using varied approaches. These have included the often controversial issue of land reform/redistribution and the distribution of farm inputs. In Malawi for example in 2001, the government distributed 'starter packs' to poor families. These packs included seed and fertiliser parcels. The idea was to enable families attain at least adequate harvest to feed their families for at least a year. Whilst the idea was innovative and seemed to have worked fairly well, some analysts questioned the sustainability of such an approach. Whilst inadequate food production in African countries is a combination of various factors that include political issues, poor agricultural policies, unfavourable international arrangements and climatic conditions, energy also plays an important yet often ignored role in sustainability of food production. Furthermore, sustainability has been one of the major weaknesses in most food security programs and approaches. Whilst governments in Africa have attempted increasing food productivity through input subsidies and credit programs, most have failed to appreciate the role that energy plays in food production. For example, even with access to land, basic agricultural skills, market potential and farm inputs such as seed and fertilisers, most farmers do not have access to energy services and technologies for irrigation and for processing their harvest. As a result, crop production is often low and since harvest is sold without processing it, market prices are too low to sustain farming activities at an appreciable scale. In Malawi and most Southern African countries, it is not uncommon to have periods of abundant fruit and other foods and it is uncommon as you travel through rural areas in these periods to find these foods rotting on road sides and village compounds. Yet simple technologies such as solar driers, water wheels for processing fruits and other mechanised farm machines are available from various technology groups.Furthermore, the fact that the most common fuel in Southern Africa is traditional biomass, which is becoming increasing scarce compounds the problems of food production and use at household level. A number of researchers have shown that households modify their eating habits, often skipping meals or opting for less nutritious meals due to wood scarcity. Even when a range of foods are available, the poor often fail to process these foods in a variety of 'tasty' foods or meals (e.g making juice out of fruits or bread from flour) due to lack of energy services for food processing. This reduces their required daily intake (nutrition) and their energy needs. Paradoxically, this same poor population expends large amounts of energy in fetching firewood and in farm activities that produce far much less than is adequate for comfortable survival, creating a vicious circle of poverty and food insecurity. Energy technologies such as the fireless cooker and the solar food drier being promoted by GTZ in countries such as Malawi, can then go a long way to help improve food security and nutrition issues at household level. Another issue, which is also inked to the lack of energy services and modern fuels is that of transporting harvest to markets. Apart from poor road infrastructure, high fuel costs hamper farmers' and traders' ability to link up. Whilst countries such as India are promoting bio-diesel, which could dramatically reduce transportation costs in Southern Africa, there is very little being done in Africa in this respect. Another issue in the food security dilemma has been that of climatic conditions and lack of adequate rains. Interestingly, other areas that are more water-stressed than Southern African countries have harnessed their irrigation potential. In Southern Africa, irrigation potential can be optimised through solar powered irrigation technology. Access to affordable and adequate modern energy services also enables improved productivity is various sectors of the economy. This, combined with other supportive policies and strategies can improve income earnings, thereby providing the cash required to buy farm inputs, access to knowledge and skills for the protection of the environment and so enhance land productivity as well as income to buy food if own production is undesirable or supplement available food varieties. In finding solutions to the energy-food security link, there is the need to make sound arguments for the promotion of energy services for increased food security. These would include energy services and technologies for irrigation, pasteurisation, food preservation and cooking among others. Most of the associated technologies such as water wheels or micro-hydro turbines, biogas plants, photovoltaics and portable milk coolers are easily or already adapted for the Southern Africa scenario and need to be further disseminated.The question is then how to make the linkages between food productivity and security and energy services strong enough to matter to policy makers. What we need is to map definite ways forward and take action. Please give us your thoughts. [top] [end]Related topicsTypes of Improved CookstoveEfficiency of Heavy Mud Stoves Design Principles of Energy Efficient Stoves [top] [end]External links and references[top] [end]ContributorsUser:Margaret Matinga 1 June 2004 [top] [end]Comments / Questions on this page | |
Page created:
01 June 2004; Last edited:
08 February 2007; Version: 1 | |
Pagename: FoodSecurityAndEnergy @HEDON: BEBA | |
