The BecA-ILRI Hub

Realizing the promise!

Jimmy SmithILRI Director General

BecA Hub Donor Consultation13 December 2011

ILRI, Nairobi, Kenya

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POINTS TO PONDER The nature of the challengeRelying of past evidenceWhat are the opportunitiesGrasping the opportunities

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• The nature of the challenge

• The wake up call of the 2008 food price crisis

• Malthus (1798) turning in his grave • The global food security challenge

in summary 2.5 B more people by 2050 70% more food by then 80% by productivity gains

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Additional Grains1048 million tonnes more to

2050

humanconsumption

458 million MT

Livestock430 million MT

Monogastrics dominate

biofuels160 million MT

• The nature of the challenge

• Reversing the investment performance

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OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT

ASSISTANCE

PUBLIC SPENDING(Sub-Saharan Africa)

AGRICULTURE

4%

RURAL

75%

AGRICULTURE

4%

WORLD

POOR

Early 1990s

Early 2000s

Official development assistance (ODA): 17%World Bank lending: 30%

Official development assistance (ODA): 12%World Bank lending: 15%

Official development assistance (ODA): 4%World Bank lending: <10% …but overall

ODA has not recovered

World Bank and bilateral investments recovering ….. but very slowly

• The nature of the challenge

• Food Security –the particular case of Africa

• Production increasing but lags behind population growth

• Unsustainable heavy reliance on imports

• Neglect of agriculture –especially livestock

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Increasing….except in Sub-Saharan Africa

World Bank 2007

AFRICA IS A GROWING NET IMPORT REGION

• Relying on past evidence

• This challenge was dealt with before• Technology played an enormous

part Mechanical Biological-Mendel’s contribution

(1865) Chemical

• Ford and Rockefeller Foundations –the CGIAR –the Green Revolution

• Is the creation and funding of BecA the African equivalent in history?

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• What are the opportunities

• The world is relying on Biotechnology this time

• We can do things faster and with more precision

Can maize be made as water efficient as sorghum?

From C3 to more C4 crops ( wheat, rice etc.)

Develop vaccines for ECF, CBPP, ACF, PPR etc

Boran with milking performance of Jerseys?

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• What are the opportunities

• The facilities to conduct such science is brought to Africa through the BecA hub at a scale that could have an impact

• Capacity can be built among African scientist in sufficient numbers to make a difference

• Leverage the expertise and agenda of other CGIAR centres

• Facilitate-catalyze-add value-leverage the work of others –particularly of CAADP partners 13

• Grasping the opportunity

• Create ownership and alignment with NEPAD/CAADP (include in governance)

• Develop explicit agenda setting mechanisms and processes

• Expand the core funding base CAADP Africa agenda NARS flagships Universities

• Put in place an accountability framework that inspires confidence

Donors Partners

• More harmonious intra and extra-institutional working relationship

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