The East African Community Food Security Action Plan has been developed to address food insecurity in the region. It implements the provisions of the EAC Treaty and refers to the period 2011-2015. Its main objective is the achievement of food security and rational agricultural production. In order to help eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition, the following priority areas are set out: 1) Provision of enabling policy, legal and institutional framework; 2) Increase food availability in sufficient quantity and quality; 3) Improve access to food; 4) Improve stability of food supply and access in the EAC Region; 5) Enhance the efficiency of food utilization, nutrition, and food safety. Reduction of food waste is foreseen as well. The Action Plan aims to make agriculture more productive and sustainable so as to guarantee food security. To this end it outlines measures and actions to ensure use of improved and appropriate technologies, as well as inputs that are adaptive to climate change impacts. Further it promotes soil conservation measures, supports construction of a regional fertilizer processing plant to lower costs, as well as effective and efficient provision of training and extension services on food production, processing, post harvesting handling and marketing. In addition the plan enables more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems. The following actions shall be implemented: develop regional agricultural research and extension framework based on agroecological conditions and gender concerns; establish regional agricultural centre of excellencies on research, training and innovations; encourage adequate allocation of suitable land to food production; support and promote access of women to productive resources; livestock and fisheries genetic resources improvement; promote measures to improve animal health including transboundary diseases; promote and support feed conservation initiative. Contract farming and out grower schemes are encouraged. The Sectoral Council of Ministers Responsible for Agriculture and Food Security shall guide the implementation of the Action Plan. The document also foresees to strengthen the capacity of the EAC Secretariat to coordinate the implementation of the joint programmes and projects emanating from this plan.
2011-02-01