At today’s event in London on “Promoting African Agriculture: New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition Security”, Adrian Lovett, Europe Executive Director at ONE said:

“The commitments made earlier today by UK Prime Minister Cameron, African leaders, donors and companies to prioritise African-led agriculture during next year’s African Union Year of Agriculture are important.  However, we are concerned that donors and governments did not go far enough to commit their own resources to invest in African smallholder farmers.  Despite the G8’s pledge at Camp David last year to mobilise $1.425 billion for the Global Agriculture for Food Security Program (GAFSP), G8 donors came empty-handed today.  This was a missed opportunity to back Africa’s agriculture plans with the resources they urgently need to deliver sustainable food security.

“On the G8’s New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, the improvements announced today are crucial if the initiative is to meet its aim of lifting 50 million people out of poverty.  Accountability, nutritional outcomes, women farmers, greater coordination with African institutions and land transparency are vital factors to the success of the New Alliance in empowering smallholder farmers and achieving sustainable food security.  We welcome the addition of Benin, Malawi and Nigeria to the New Alliance, and call for further expansion so that more African countries can benefit from potentially transformational change.”

ENDS