People abandon their lands and move en masse

The world water week is famous now is a call to action against one of the most serious problems to which we have to face - ensure an adequate supply safe water to a growing population can meet its food needs. The increased pressure on supplies of scarce water, in many parts of the world, is a major cause of hunger, disease and, increasingly, of conflicts. Climate change already aggravates these tensions and its impact will grow, which will have catastrophic consequences.

This is particularly true in Africa, according to experts, will be the most vulnerable to climate change, to the prolonged drought, other extreme weather events. The changes have already made large areas of previously fertile land to traditional agriculture. People abandon their lands and move en masse.

These new tensions are added to the persistent problems facing agriculture in Africa where the soil is often of poor quality. Irrigation is little used, even here where there is water in abundance. Africa is the only continent unable to meet its food needs. Today, nearly 300 million people have enough to eat. Millions of hectares are fallow. This situation is untenable. It causes terrible suffering for the men and had a catastrophic effect on the development of Africa.

But far headlines of the newspapers, a green and silent - revolution - is in progress. African agronomists are developing new crop varieties. Farmers are not in rest and want to practice techniques such as agricultural drip, which will enable them to take advantage of every drop of water. And public authorities are a priority for the transformation of agricultural methods. These efforts are supported by the Alliance for a green revolution in Africa (AGRA), that I preside over. Hundreds of millions of dollars in donations, are provided to improve the productivity, encourage efficient techniques of soil and water management. National research institutions receive money to develop new crop varieties adapted to various qualities of soil, including crops such as millet, sorghum, maize, cassava, rice, sweet potatoes and legumes.

Everywhere in Africa, we see the results. In Tanzania, the plateaus of southern farmers now plant an early maize variety to avoid the damage that cause less reliable rain seasons. More than 300,000 farmers in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger learn techniques of microassay that increase yields while conserving the fertilizer. Agricultural production in Rwanda has increased by 30 in two years. We must now extend these practices across the continent, where this is technically and economically feasible.

But to help Africa to meet its food needs must go further. This means that farmers can sell their crops at a fair price and easily. In Uganda, improved systems of marketing of bananas have given 20,000 farmers access to markets, resulting in an increase of 30 of their production. Farmers and small traders who serve them need better access to financing. In many African countries, agriculture represents nearly half of GDP and employs two assets in three. Yet agriculture is less than 3 of the total funding from the private sector.

The loan guarantees offered by organizations such as Agra have encouraged some of the major banks African to provide tens of millions of dollars of new funding on affordable terms. Farmers used to use more improved seeds, fertilizer, small-scale irrigation and better storage facilities.

Should accelerate in four areas. First direct investment so that it reaches the "wheat granaries" in Africa, which offer a huge potential for food production. Rural infrastructure should be improved - in particular roads, ports, railways and storage. Then, the barriers to regional trade, such as tariff barriers, should be lifted. And should help farmers to adapt to the new challenges they face on climate change.

Giving body to the green revolution in Africa, we have finally keep in mind that small farmers account for 70 of agricultural producers in the continent. Foreign investment in agriculture and the enhancement of the land must not move these operators, whose families have worked the land for decades. We need we use their knowledge, and not repel, if we want to put an end to food shortages and transform life in rural areas.

In fact, partnerships - with local agricultural organizations and with international institutions such as the World Bank and the African Development Bank - are essential to ensure that the green revolution is rooted in the continent and to pave the way for the enormous agricultural potential of Africa. Feeding Africa is one of the major development issues of our time, and it can be resolved.