Transcript
perspectives Newsletter of the North-South Centre No. 1 | March 2010
“Food Security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food for a healthy and active life.” World Food Summit, Rome 1996
Editorial In the past, food security has always been an important topic for the NorthSouth Centre and food security will be one of our strategic topics in the future. Consequently, food security is a perfect key topic for the first issue of our new communication tool – our public newsletter “Perspectives”. With this newsletter, you – the readers – will get the possibility to have a better insight into our activities. On the other hand, it gives us a platform for highlighting our strategic topics, success stories in research collaboration, as well as achievements in capacity building. The newsletter allows us to reach a broad audience interested in NorthSouth questions and in research for development. The three sections “focus”, “portrait” and “research” of each issue are dedicated to a key topic. In this first issue, we will shed light on various aspects of food security. A shortened version of an article by Rolf Kappel on the food price
crisis 2007 – 2008 will initiate the focus section. Adding to these reflections, Bernard Lehmann analyses price trends in a long-term context. In the portrait section, Lucien Diby of the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques in Côte d’Ivoire talks about his career and his contribution to achieving food security. Eventually, Wilhelm Gruissem elaborates on his group’s research activities, which aim at improving cassava and rice. The research section thus introduces one example of the wide range of research activities in the area of food security conducted by members of the North-South Centre. Finally, we put the “spotlight” on the new strategy of the North-South Centre. We hope you find this newsletter a valuable source of information and a pleasant reading.
Wolfgang Kinzelbach, President of the North-South Centre
2 Focus The food price crises – Drivers
of the short-term price hike complemented with more long-term considerations
4 Portrait Lucien Diby – A scientific career with a focus on food security linked to the ETH Zurich 5 Research Genetic engineering – A promising contribution to solving food security challenges 6 Portfolio and publications 7 Newsflash 8 Spotlight Our strategy – Sustainable development for human well-being
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Focus
What became of the food price crisis in 2008? Fundamental market forces of demand and supply were the main drivers of the recent price boom on food markets. Although prices have somewhat declined from their peaks in 2008, the underlying causes are still in place and may produce another price hike in the foreseeable future. Between 2006 and mid-2008, world market prices of cereals, oil seeds, and dairy products more than doubled. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) estimated that the number of hungry people increased to 923 million at the end of 2007. In the second half of 2008, prices of cereals fell sharply by about 40% due to the global economic recession. However, nominal cereal prices were still 50% to
100% higher than before the crisis. In June 2009, FAO again raised the alarm with the estimate that more than one billion people go hungry every day. Driving forces on the demand and supply side It is generally agreed that population and (per capita) income growth in developing countries were the prime movers of global food utilisation between 1998
and 2008. In all developing regions, employment in non-agricultural activities and urbanisation increased, adding to growing shares of populations who are net food buyers. In addition, the food consumption patterns of an emerging global “middle class” changed towards diets that are richer in meat and dairy products, contributing substantially to a growing demand for grains. In industrial countries, the
In another light … Whereas Rolf Kappel analyses the drivers of the short-term trend in food prices 2007 – 2008, Bernard Lehmann complements this analysis with more long-term considerations. His analysis of nominal and real food price trends emphasises the necessity of growing food production. Development of the FAO food price index
Bernard Lehmann has been full Professor of Agri-food & Agri-environmental Economics since 1993, and is Deputy Head of the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences. www.afee.ethz.ch
The development of the FAO food price index between 1960 and 2004 shows that nominal food prices increased on average around 2% per year. This is lower than average inflation. Overall, nominal food prices doubled since 1960. However, based on these findings it is not possible to draw conclusions on people’s purchasing power for food, or on food shortage. Analysing the development of the food prices adjusted for inflation allows commenting on these aspects. Real food prices have fallen since the beginning of the 20th century. Due to the Green Revolution and massive subsidies for the agricultural sector, the development on the food supply side exceeded the one on the demand side. However, in 1989 the trend in real food prices reversed. Since then, food prices have
not decreased anymore (with fluctuations), and between 2004 and 2009 they increased adjusted to inflation. Within the last 20 years, real food prices increased by more than 40%. An increase in real food prices implies that with a constant income one has to spend higher shares on food. Put differently, if one accepts real food prices as an indicator for relative food shortage, the price hike of 2007–2008 cannot be considered as an isolated event. The stronger the “strain” on agricultural markets (as expressed by the stock-touse ratio) the more already “minor” disturbances will lead to significant price fluctuations. Therefore, food production has to be increased at the global level, in a sustainable manner. Bernard Lehmann
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Fresh produce shelf at a newly opened supermarket in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
demand for bio-fuels has become an important new source for a growing demand of grain, vegetable oils, and sugar cane. Apart from these fundamental driving forces, at least three other price-enhancing factors must be considered. First, increasing energy prices pushed up costs for food production and distribution. Second, traders factored the depreciation of the US-Dollar into world market prices. Third, as a reaction to the price rise, governments in 15 food exporting countries imposed export restrictions, which exacerbated supply shortages on global markets and the price hike. The role of speculation The impact of speculators on food prices was and is a hotly debated topic. Some observers argue that speculators (above all index traders) on futures markets for food commodities created a price bubble. However, detailed econometric analyses illustrate that the development of prices and long positions of index traders were not highly correlated, and that the proportion between speculative positions and hedging positions did not deviate from historical values. Moreover, causality tests strongly indicate that investments of speculators followed price changes. These and other research findings provide evidence that not financial investors but the fundamental market forces mentioned above plus “exuberant” price expectations of all market participants were the drivers of the boom and bust cycle. Effects of high food prices on the poor The effect of rising food prices on the poor is a double-edged sword. While
higher prices reduce the purchase power of one part of poor households (net buyers) they increase incomes of others (net sellers). As there are more net food-buying than net food-selling households among the poor, the poor lose on a net basis from high food prices – at least in the short run. In the long run, some observers argue, low food prices are an important cause for the prevalence of high rural poverty rates and rates of hunger in many countries. They argue that higher food prices result not only in higher incomes of net food sellers, but also offer opportunities to mobilise agricultural investment to boost production and productivity of farmers in general. However, particularly smallholders face high barriers to increase investment and production, such as fragmented landholdings, limited access to water, insecure property and user rights, insufficient access to productive technologies, and insufficient access to markets. Overcoming these barriers is a slow process. Therefore, the shortterm negative effects of higher food prices will at best be compensated with delays of several years. What should be done to reduce hunger? Many policy proposals in the aftermath of the food price crisis suggest that high investments in agriculture could simultaneously increase food production, reduce food prices, and contribute to reducing rates of poverty and hunger – and all that rather quickly. Based on previous research results, we argue that the reduction of hunger requires not only growing food production, but also the improvement of public governance. We tested this hypothesis with an econometric model using
cross-national data for about 120 developing countries and countries in transition. The model indeed supports the hypothesis on the role of governance: Assuming everything else to be equal, the difference in hunger rates between the best and worst governed country in our sample is 17 percentage points. If the world economy recovers quickly, and if supply and governance do not improve, the next increase of food prices and hunger may be just around the corner. Rolf Kappel, Reinhard Pfeiffer, Jutta Werner: What Became of the Food Price Crisis in 2008? Aussenwirtschaft. The Swiss Review of International Economic Relations. Forthcoming, Vol. I, 2010.
Rolf Kappel has been full Professor of Problems of Developing Countries since 1992, and is Director of the Postgraduate Course on Developing Countries (NADEL). www.nadel.ethz.ch
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Portrait
Lucien Diby – A former RFPP fellow dedicated to research on food security Lucien Diby is currently lecturing in plant nutrition at the Ecole Supérieure d’Agronomie (ESA). At the same time, he is a research associate in the department of Biodiversity and Food Security at the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques (CSRS). Both institutions are located in Côte d’Ivoire.
Lucien Diby, born 1974 in Côte d’Ivoire, is Doctor of Agronomy. He is currently working at the Ecole Supérieure d’Agronomie (ESA) and at the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques (CSRS), both located in Côte d’Ivoire. In addition to his long-standing research topic on yams, Lucien Diby assures the scientific coordination of all research activities in the field of agricultural production systems and post-harvest at the CSRS. www.csrs.ch www.inphb.edu.ci
Lucien Diby, could you give us a summary of your career steps and the role of the ETH Zurich in this respect? Lucien Diby: From 2001 to 2005, I did my doctoral studies at the University of Cocody in Abidjan. My doctoral project was funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation as an RFPP project of the North-South Centre of the ETH Zurich. My supervisor was Emmanuel Frossard, leader of the Group of Plant Nutrition at the ETH Zurich. Since 2001, I spent several sojourns in his research group. Before my current assignments at the CSRS and at the ESA, I did a one-year post-doc at the CSRS funded by his group. Thus, the ETH Zurich contributed significantly to my career development.
Talking about your RFPP fellowship – How would you see the capacity building effect of such a fellowship? The RFPP fellowship is a grant with a large dimension of capacity building not only for the grantee but also for diploma/ Master students who can be trained in the project. In addition, the collaboration between the ETH Zurich and partners in the South allows the grantees to benefit from the scientific expertise of the ETH Zurich. Through my RFPP fellowship we trained five students in the North and in the South. One of them obtained his own RFPP fellowship. How did your doctoral research contribute to food security? My doctoral research dealt with the crop physiology of a very important crop for food security: Yams (Dioscorea spp.). Yams are a staple diet for millions of people living in poor countries. Despite their importance, very little information is available on yams yield formation. My doctoral research provided information for breeders and agronomists, allowing them to develop sustainable yams cropping systems. We showed how growth characteristics changed in different environments. These findings contributed to the breeding of cultivars that are adapted to different growth conditions. Furthermore, our research has shown that naturally fertile soils contribute better to yams growth than mineral fertiliser application. Based on this knowledge, agronomists can define an integrated soil fertility management in yams cropping systems. In what way do your current activities relate to food security? Food security is the central theme of my research focus. At the ESA, I contribute
to the training of agronomy students preparing them to work in agricultural development or in research institutions. At the CSRS, all research projects that I am involved in relate directly to food security. They deal with the improvement of crop production systems of smallholders in rural and urban areas. In your view, what would be the most important steps to achieve the goal of ensuring food security? To me, food security issues should be tackled at the country or regional level as tremendous differences exist from one region to another. However, in African countries these steps are quite similar. First, policy-makers should give more importance to local food crops instead of cash crops. Second, researchers should be empowered so that they are able to deliver appropriate technologies. Third, these technologies should be made available to all actors in the food crops value chains. Fourth, farmers should gain access to markets and sell their products at affordable prices. Fifth, investments in infrastructure for (food) crop processing and for distribution is needed. In Africa, a key step for each country is to concentrate on crops or livestock in which it has comparative advantages instead of trying to be self-sufficient in everything. On the global scale, the main step is to limit the subsidies provided to farmers in developed countries because these subsidies allow to sell products at very competitive prices on markets in developing countries. This is hindering the agricultural production in low-income countries. Progress at the country level cannot be achieved unless these subsidies issues are solved.
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Research
Using genetic approaches to improve cassava and rice Research in the group of plant biotechnology of the ETH Zurich is using genetic engineering to improve rice and cassava, two important staple crops of developing countries. Recently, these efforts resulted in virus-resistant cassava and in high-iron rice. Cassava is a major staple food for 600 million people, but the crop suffers from many diseases and the root is of poor nutritional quality. Recent outbreaks of viral diseases have dramatically reduced the yield and in the context of climate change, abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity will also have an increasing impact on cassava production. Improving cassava In the group of plant biotechnology, we have produced transgenic plants that silence virus genes and are therefore immune to infection. After the first successful phenotypic field trials, the next trials will take place in Africa where the cassava virus is prevalent. To address the impact of drought, the plant biotechnology lab is collaborating with scientists in Kenya to understand the molecular mechanisms of drought tolerance in cassava. As this is a complex trait, the identification of the responsible genes using innovative approaches based on proteomics and transcriptomics is the key to this project. Iron rice According to the World Health Organization approximately two billion people suffer from iron deficiency. Using anemia as an indicator, most preschool children and pregnant women are suffering, particularly in developing countries where rice is the major staple food. Rice contains sufficient iron for human nutrition in the bran, but the coat has to be removed for storage, as it contains lipid which rapidly turns rancid under tropical or subtropical climates. Iron cannot be supplemented via food fortification, since the iron compounds are either non-soluble or
unpalatable. The new rice developed in the group of plant biotechnology contains additional genes, resulting in six times more available iron in the kernel. The genetically engineered rice plants express the genes to produce nicotianamin synthase, which mobilises iron, and ferritin, which stores iron. Their synergistic action allows the rice plant to accumulate more iron in the rice kernel. These genetically engineered rice plants contain about 7 micrograms iron per gram, which is nutritionally relevant. Distribution to farmers still many years away Before these improved plants can be released, they must be tested extensively in the field for their agronomic performance, trait stability and biosafety and, in collaboration with local scientists, the traits need to be transferred to widely used varieties. In addition, appropriate seed distribution channels and agricultural production systems must be established before the improved plants can be made available to small-scale farmers free of charge. Wilhelm Gruissem, Christof Sautter and Herve Vanderschuren Wilhelm Gruissem has been full Professor of Plant Biotechnology since 2000, and is Head of the Department of Biology. Further reading: Vanderschuren, H., et al, 2009: Dose-dependent RNAi-mediated geminivirus resistance in the tropical root crop cassava. Plant Mol Biol, 70: 265-272. Wirth, J., et al, 2009: Rice endosperm biofortification by targeted and synergistic action of nicotianamine synthase and ferritin. Plant Biotech, J 7: 631-644. www.pb.ethz.ch
µg Fe per g dry weight (ppm) 8.0 7.0 6.0 Fe iron WT wild type NAS with nicotianamin synthase NFP with NAS, ferritin and phytase
5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 WT
NAS
ferritin
NFP
Iron concentration in polished rice seeds
wild type
NFP
scale Fe low Localisation of iron in rice grains
Field experiments of virus-resistant cassava in Puerto Rico
high
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Portfolio
Foreign agricultural investments The recent food crisis has triggered a rush for agricultural land overseas – A challenge to be debated at the next North-South Forum, organised jointly with the NCCR North-South.
International investment in agriculture is not new. Foreign owned plantations and land lease have existed for long. In 2008, however, the food crisis with its enormous increase in commodity prices brought the rush for land to a new dimension, driven by the demand for food, water and energy security. Transnational agricultural investment, in recent debates also referred to as “land grab”, is taking place on all continents,
Flow of resources and know-how: A potentially beneficial impact of foreign agricultural investments
North-South Forum on foreign agricultural investments at different scales Tuesday, May 18, 2010 9:00 – 12:30 h ETH Zurich, Semperaula, HG G.60 www.northsouth.ethz.ch
with the bulk of these deals made in Africa. Net food importers are anxious to secure their long-term food needs through agreements. These agreements are entered predominantly with poor and food insecure countries – countries with a seemingly large proportion of unutilised or underutilised land. Risks and potentials In conditions where property rights are not guaranteed, the disadvantages of such land deals are evident: Farmers are rarely compensated when ownership shifts to foreign land holders, and local food security is further threatened. So far, negative economic and social implications have dominated the debate, but ecological consequences of an intensified use of natural resources are prone to arise. On the other hand, foreign investment in agriculture does have substantial potential: A flow of resources and know-how, the creation of employment, an improved infrastructure, and increased agricultural productivity could certainly benefit countries seeking solutions going beyond development aid. To ensure that agricultural investments provide broad benefits and effectively contribute to development, actors at different levels have acknowledged the need for action – for example through the elaboration of a code of conduct for land deals. Yet, the knowledge base is still rather weak and mostly focused on case studies. The recent World Bank survey of 30 countries is therefore the first of its kind. It will be presented at the North-South Forum, complemented with perspectives of the Swiss research and development community.
Publications Clément, C., Diaz, D., Manrique, I., Avula, B., Khan, I.A., Ponce Aguirre, D.D., Kunz, C., Mayer, A.C., Kreuzer, M., 2010: Secondary metabolites in maca as affected by hypocotyl color, cultivation history, and site. Agronomy Journal, 102: 431-439. Ghazoul, J., Koh, L.P., 2010: Food security not (yet) threatened by declining pollination. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 8: 9-10. Hgaza, V. K., Diby, L. N., Assa A., Aké S., 2010: Leaf growth and photosynthetic capacity as affected by leaf position, plant nutritional status and growth stage in Dioscorea alata L. African Journal of Plant Sciences, 4(3): 53-60. Kastner, S., Kandler, H., Hotz, K., Bleisch, M., Lacroix, C., Meile, L., 2010: Screening for mycotoxins in the inoculum used for production of attiéké, a traditional Ivorian cassava product. LWT – Food Science and Technology, doi:10.1016/j.lwt.2010.01.023. Louw-Gaume, A., Rao, I., Gaume, A., Frossard, E., 2010: A comparative study on plant growth and root plasticity responses of two Brachiaria forage grasses grown in nutrient solution at low and high phosphorus supply. Plant Soil, 328 (1-2): 155-164. Milzow, C., Burg, V., Kinzelbach, W., 2010: Estimating future ecoregion distributions within the Okavango Delta Wetlands based on hydrological simulations and future climate and development scenarios. Journal of Hydrology, Vol. 381: 89-100. Roberts, L.C., Hug, S.J., Dittmar, J., Voegelin, A., Kretzschmar, R., Wehrli, B., Cirpka, O., Saha, G.C., Ali, M.A., Badruzzaman, A.B.M., 2010: Arsenic release from paddy soils during monsoon flooding. Nature Geoscience, 3(1): 53-59.
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Newsflash
Book launch: Tropical Rain Forest. Ecology, Diversity, and Conservation Rain forests are the world‘s richest repository of terrestrial biodiversity. Rain forests contribute to regulating global climate, and support the livelihoods of a large proportion of the world’s population. They also remain vulnerable to degradation and clearance. “Tropical Rain Forest. Ecology, Diversity, and Conservation” explores what rain forests are, how they arose, how they function, and how we use them. The book emphasises the spectacular species diversity that is the motivation for rain forest conservation, before going on to describe the origins of rain forests, their many formations, and their ecology and dynamics. The final chapters
explore historical and current interactions of humans with rain forests, including conservation and livelihood security – inextricable issues that represent urgent priorities for conservationists and policy-makers. Tropical Rain Forest. Ecology, Diversity, and Conservation Jaboury Ghazoul and Douglas Sheil Oxford University Press, April 2010
ISBN13: 978-0-19-928588-4 ISBN10: 0-19-928588-8
Announcements The challenge of climate change for agriculture and food security_Symposium of the “Dialogue on agriculture and food security” – A joint initiative of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture_Berne, 16 April 2010. www.world-food-dialogue.ch Master of Advanced Studies in Sustainable Water Resources – Focus on Latin America_Upon request, applications are accepted until 30 April 2010. Two full scholarships for the MAS can be offered_Please contact the Darcy Molnar directly. www.ifu.ethz.ch/MAS_SWR Josef G. Knoll Science Award and Hans H. Ruthenberg Award for Graduates_ The Josef G. Knoll Award honours graduates whose work focuses on helping to reduce hunger and malnutrition in developing countries. The Hans H. Ruthenberg
Award honours graduates who intensively deal with the reduction of hunger in the world_Deadlines for application are 30 April 2010. www.eiselen-stiftung.de Launch of a new SNSF funding instrument: International Exploratory Workshops_The main aim of the International Exploratory Workshops, which are open to all fields of research, is to allow researchers working on similar research questions to meet and advance their knowledge on the issue. www.snf.ch Advance notice for two NADEL events_The NADEL Forum on climate change and development cooperation on 20 May 2010, and the 40th NADEL anniversary celebration / alumni gathering on 29 October 2010_More information to follow. www.nadel.ethz.ch
Conference: Tropentag 2010 World food system – A contribution from Europe ETH Zurich, September 14 – 16, 2010 “Tropentag” is an international conference on tropical and subtropical agricultural research and natural resource management. This year’s topic is the world food system, which encompasses all the natural resources involved in the production of food, as well as food distribution and consumption. It is the foundation for the nutrition of humankind and includes ecological, economic, health and social aspects. Confirmed plenary speakers are: Paul Collier, Oxford University Angela Cropper, UNEP Timothy Hall, European Commission Hans Herren, Millenium Institute Jimmy Smith, World Bank www.tropentag.de
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Spotlight
Strategy 2010 – 2016 In 2008, it became apparent that the North-South Centre needed a mid- to long-term planning. Consequently, a strategy process was started. The Steering Committee approved the resulting Strategy 2010 – 2016 in November 2009. The Strategy 2010 – 2016 positions the North-South Centre within the ETH Zurich by relating it to the ETH strategy, making reference to its international strategy as well as to the strategies of individual departments. The strategy is very explicit on the intended future research portfolio. First, it lays out the conceptual approach of “research for development”. It defines “sustainable development for human well-being” as overall goal, and identifies four thematic research areas: Food security Natural resource management Urban and rural transformation Technology and infrastructure
Stem rust-resistant wheat production, Kenya
Impressum
In addition, it alerts to three transversal topics, which cut across the four topics – gender, good governance, and impact generation. With regard to capacity development, the strategy highlights the importance of individual capacity development as task of the North-South Centre. We serve our target groups through a variety of instruments such as grants or scholarships, support to visiting scientists or for teaching stays, through summer schools, and a colloquium for doctoral candidates.
At present, we are in the initial phase of implementing the new strategy. While the two topics “food security” and “natural resource management” build on our past programmes and achievements, we are gradually developing new activities on “urban and rural transformation” and on “technology and infrastructure”.
In the area of networking and communication, strengthening the networks
Children carrying fuelwood to their home, Ethiopia
Interface of rural and urban livelihoods, Ethiopia
ETH Zurich Publisher ETH Zurich, North-South Centre, HCW, Hochstrasse 60a, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland North-South Tel +41 44 632 Centre 79 35, Fax +41 44 632 15 89,
[email protected], www.northsouth.ethz.ch Editor Ursula60a Gugger Suter, Communication Manager, North-South Centre Hochstrasse Design concept Art Direction Stacy Müller, Zurich 8092 Zurich, Switzerland Layout Ursula Gugger Suter, Communication Manager, North-South Centre Reproduction With permission of the North-South Centre Tel +41 44 632 79 35 Photos Cover: M. Zoss (Traditional wholesale market in Morogoro, Tanzania), p. 2: FAO/ Fax +41 44p.632 89 p.4: L. Diby, p. 5: (from top) B. Drosse, B. Aeschlimann/D. Günther, R. Kappel, 3: M.15Zoss, W. Gruissem, p. 6: Unica, Brazil, p. 8: (left to right) P. Njau, D. Rustagi, A. Jenet, A. Wüest
[email protected]
with our partner institutions in developing countries is one of the key tasks. Within Switzerland, our priority lies on the new national institutional landscape after the NCCR North-South.
Spillway of the Itezhi-Tezhi dam, Zambia
