plansandstrategies inAfrica ­ Reportandrecommendations ofthe workshop onaccelerated food strategies implementation inAfrica ­ Abidjan, IvoryCoast, 25-27February 1985 Effectiveness ofaidinsupport of foodstrategies Improving accesstofoodbythe undernourished External economic constraints on meeting foodobjectives -theneedfor expanding worldtrade ProposaI fortheCouncil1s future programme -Briefonagri-business Current worldfoodsituation Reportofthepreparatory meeting for theeleventh session Letterdated1May1985fromthe delegation oftheGermanDemocratie Republic tothePresident oftheWor1d FoodCouncil ReportoftheCommittee onWor1dFood Security ontheworkofitstenth session Letterdated27May1985fromthe Ambassador ofFrancetotheFoodand Agricultu~e Organization oftheUnited Nations totheExecutive Director of theWorldFoodCouncil TenthannualreportoftheCommittee onFoodAidPolicies 3ndProgrammesANNEXIII Statement bynon-governmental organizations ontheissuesfacing theeleventh ministerial session oftheWorldFoodCouncil 1.Thenon-governmental organizations presentattheeleventh session ofthe WorldFoodCouncil arefullyawareofthedramatic foodsituation inmany countries, particularly inAfrica. Thissituation isnotonlyduetothedrought orso-called "natural" causes, assornewouldhavepublicopinion believe -withthe effeceofdemobilizing publicopinion. Several oftheessential causesofthe faminearealsoattributable toman.Theyinclude internal causes, environmental deterioration, agricultural policies contrary tofarmers' interests, lackof st.orage, credit andmarketing facilities,lackofmeansofcom'.nunication, schools andsanitary installations, inadequacy ofapplied research, andexternal causes: wars,theparticularly heavyindebtedness ofthefood-deficit countries, dislocation ofthemonetary system, deterioration ofthetermsoftradeand protectionism bythecountries oftheNorth. Thesecauseshavebeencitedbymany ofthepeopleinvolved: wearemerelydrawing attention tothemagaintoshowthat actionispossible andthatdrought andfamine mustnotleadtofatalism. The non-governmental organizations knowthatitisnotforthemtosetthemselves upas saviours ofthethirdworld,because theycanprovide onlymodest ~ssistance, asa supplement toofficial international co-operation -modestbutsignificant assistance. Bywayofexample, duringthepastsixmonths, thenon-governmental organizacions oftheEuropean Community, through theirownefforts andtheir appeals forspecial assistance totheAfrican peoples, havecollected atotalof a~proximately $200million, whichrepresents slightly morethanhalfthefood assistance oftheCommission oftheEuropean Communities duringthesameperiod. Butoverandabovethisquantitative contribution, ourexperience atthevillage levelhasclearly revealed tousanumberofrequirements relating toagricultural development. Wewishtodrawattention toafewessential features ofthese requirements inthisstatement. 1.Regional tradeareasmustbepromoted 2.Thefirstrequirement foragricultural development oriented towards food self-sufficiency isapolicyofremunerative prieesforfoodproduction. This policycansucceed onlyifthelocalandregional markets areprotected against invasion bylow-cost foodimports. Sincesuchprotection isessential, it necessarily hasaneffectonthedisposal oftheagricultural surpluses ofthe industrial countries, andconsequently mustleadtoreorganization ofthe agricultural policies pursued bythesecountries, withinthecontext ofthealready existing regional markets. 3.Marketprotection involves theestablishment ofviable economic zonesatthe country leveloratthelevelofgroupsofcountries. Consumption, production and savings mustadvance together, through thebroaddevelopment ofnational factors: manpower, land,skills, natural resources, whichareoftenexcluded asaresultof unfaircompetition. 4.Inthisrespect, thenon-governmental organizations haveforalongtimebeen asking themselves andaskingnational Governments andintergovernmental organizations abouttheagro-industries' domination ofthefoodsystems ofthe thirdworld. Theyrequest theCouncil toinclude thisquestion initswork -34-prog domi 5. and worl emer deve soci
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a report from a workshop on accelerated food strategies implementation in Africa, discussing the challenges and recommendations for improving food security in the region. The text highlights the importance of agricultural development, regional trade, and market protection to achieve food self-sufficiency. It also touches on the need for reorganization of agricultural policies in industrial countries and the impact of external economic constraints on food objectives.

**Category**
Agriculture, forestry and fishing, International trade, Economic development