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Following the specialised technical experts’ meeting, ECOWAS ministers endorsed the new ECOWAS Regional Agricultural Investment Plan and Food and Nutrition Security (RAIPFNS) on 12 December 2016 in Abuja. They also adopted a strategic framework for 2016-20, including a results framework to measure the impact and progress made in its implementation. The new plan builds on an in-depth assessment of achievements and takes stock of the limits of the ECOWAS regional agricultural policy, known as ECOWAP. Read on

30 Nov 2016

Food supply from domestic production

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West African agriculture has risen to the challenge of population growth: After two decades of stagnation, agriculture took off in the middle of the 1980s. In 30 years, agricultural production has increased at a much faster rate than the population and the supply of locally-produced food increased from 1 700 to 2 400 kilocalories per person per day (Kcal/person/day). In most West African countries, dependence on food imports has not increased. Read on

30 Nov 2016

Progress towards achieving food security

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Ghana

Mali

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Development co-operation

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Undernourishment has decreased: The West Africa region leads the continent in progress toward reducing the number of people suffering from hunger and malnutrition. Despite rapid population growth across the region and recurrent droughts in the Sahel, West Africa has reduced the prevalence of undernourishment by 60% over the last two decades, from 24.2% in 1990-92 to 9.6% in 2014-16. Read on

30 Nov 2016

Prevalence of undernourishment

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35 million people are still undernourished: Despite a significant decrease in undernourishment, many West Africans have been left behind. 10% of the population – around 35 million people – still suffer from chronic undernourishment or malnutrition. Among those particularly touched are the households of farmers excluded from the market, agro-pastoralists or pastoralists over-dependent on livestock and threatened by repeated droughts, and poor workers in the informal economy. Read on

30 Nov 2016

Share of regional food GDP by country, 2010

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Nigeria

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Economy

Urban-rural development

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The city is the engine of the food economy: Rural populations tend to concentrate in areas near cities. The growth of cities therefore stimulates the integration of rural and urban areas, and the vector of integration is trade. Markets provide at least two-thirds of household food consumption in West Africa. Read on

30 Nov 2016

Manufacturing activities in Senegal, 1980-2010

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Senegal

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The food economy: a primary source of employment: Agriculture represents only 60% of the food economy. The economic activities that take place upstream (input supply, seeds) and downstream (processing, trade) account for 40%. The food industry is growing faster than agricultural production. It consists of numerous and increasingly complex value chains. Read on

30 Nov 2016

Distribution of household food consumption, 2010

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Economy

Urban-rural development

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Food security in cities: Urban food insecurity is a real problem, the scale of which is likely to increase as urban populations expand. The problem is poorly documented, however, and its unique characteristics should be better taken into account in food and nutrition monitoring systems. Read on

30 Nov 2016

Regional maize flows

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Cross-border co-operation

Economy

Migration & Mobility

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Social and business networks: West African migration forms the basis of strong social and business networks. These networks contribute to the regional integration of agribusiness markets such as the maize market. Read on

30 Nov 2016

Refugees and internally displaced persons linked to current or recent conflicts

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Chad

Mali

Niger

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Security threats exacerbate structural weaknesses: Niger, Chad and Mali are very fragile countries, combining problems related to their high rates of population growth, poverty and food insecurity. Security threats are exacerbating these structural weaknesses. In Sahelian countries, the insecurity-food complex must be addressed via a single, integrated approach. Read on

30 Nov 2016

Food value chain

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Urban-rural development

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