Ad Hoc Expert Group Meeting on Population, Agriculture and Environment: Opening Statement By Josué Dioné, Director Sustainable Development Division United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

Abstract

This Opening Statement delivered by Josué Dioné, Director Sustainable Development Division United Nations Economic Commission for Africa at the Ad Hoc Expert Group Meeting on Population, Agriculture and Environment. Mr. Dioné, on his remarks highlighted that, the majority of poor African households, improving the productivity of the domestic food and agricultural systems (production, processing and marketing) is key to enhancing well-being and upgrading out of poverty. Rapid population growth, widespread poverty, persistent food insecurity, and alarming rate of environmental degradation have fueled an increasing debate on land tenure systems and land reforms in Africa. The current worldwide attention on the land-reform process in Zimbabwe underscores the urgent need to address land reform implementation in Africa. While some may qualify the situation in Zimbabwe as an extreme case, experience in other African countries suggests that little success has been achieved so far on the land reform agenda. He also pointed out the main objectives of the meeting are: to submit to your peer review the report of a study on `Land, Food Security and Sustainable Development in Africa"; to identify and discuss key land tenure issues in Africa as they relate to food security and natural resources management; to make suggestions on land reform implementation issues that need to be further investigated and brought to the attention of policymakers; and to provide guidance on the way forward and the role of ECA.