Ken B. JohmManager, Natural Resources and Environment

Management Division African Development Bank

Seventh Session of the Committee on Food Security and Sustainable Development

&The Experts Segment of the Africa Regional Preparatory Conference for the

United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20)

PRESENTATION OUTLINEObjectives and approachKey messagesNew and Emerging Challenges

Issues, Challenges, Actions taken

Opportunities Recommendations

OBJECTIVES AND APPROACH Synopsis on New and Emerging

Challenges The intent is to highlight

Challenges and opportunities Avenues to address challenges and harness

opportunities presented by challenges

Basis: global literature; will be complemented by detailed regional reports

NEW AND EMERGING CHALLENGESThe new and emerging challenges

addressed are:Biodiversity and ecosystem loss,Climate change,Water scarcity,Food crisis, Desertification,Energy crisis,Youth unemployment and Financial and economic crises

KEY MESSAGES Mixed progress towards achieving sustainable

development goals within the context of poverty reduction.

Some progress areas: Biodiversity protection Combating desertification Access to improved water sources Agricultural production Education

Emerging challenges - climate change, water scarcity, and the food, economic and financial crises - slowing down rate of progress

KEY MESSAGES Additional resources are required to

meet targets Coordinated and harmonized

approaches are necessary to focus efforts and avoid duplication

Integrated approaches and leveraging opportunities across sectors

Commitment needs to be reaffirmed Capacity is needed at various levels Effective monitoring of progress and

sharing of experiences are essential

BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEMS LOSSTARGET:

Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss

STATUS: Expanding agriculture Clearing of forests for fuel and agriculture Loss of wetland ecosystems (e.g. large systems

Lake Chad and Inner Niger Delta: loss > 80%ACHIEVEMENTS:

Increased protected areas 14% land area in Eastern and southern Africa

protected;10% in Central and West Africa; and 7% land area in North Africa

Increasing use of ESIAs More than 90% of African countries have NBSAPs

BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEMS LOSSCHALLENGES

Failure to achieve targets Adverse effects of Climate

change on habitats Failure to integrate

biodiversity with other sectors

Identifying and exploiting key inter-linkages e.g. with climate change, water and agriculture

OPPORTUNITIESIntegrated

approachesGreen Economy

strategyCC adaptation and

mitigation programs

WATER SCARCITYSTATUS:

Mixed progress Access to safe water remains < 60% in over 20 countries

with deterioration of access levels in 20 countries Low level of water resources development and

infrastructure limitations Average per capita storage <100m3/yr compared to >1,

000m3/yr in developed countries. Increasing (physical and economic) water scarcityACHIEVEMENTS: >90% access in more than 13% African countries More than 15% of African countries achieved MDG1 by 2008 Promotion of integrated water resources development and

river basin / watershed management plans Water and Sanitation Trust Fund established Water for African Cities Programme addressing urban water

crisis Facilitation of IWRM by the GWP; by 2006, over 70% African

countries implementing IWRM plans

WATER SCARCITY

57.2%0.8%

0.3%

4.5%

9.6%

18.6%

8.9%Irrigation Urban RuralMining & Industrial Power AfforestationTransfers out

Economic water scarcity in SSA – need resources to develop infrastructure

Many competing uses

Agricultural is largest user (e.g. South Africa)

WATER SCARCITYCHALLENGES:

Water resources management Potential adverse impact of

Climate change on water quantity and quality

Water quality degradation due to anthropogenic effects and industrial activities such as mining

Weak and fragmented institutions

Poor technical and financial capacity

Inadequate political and financial support.

Effective integration / harmonization with other sectors

OPPORTUNITIES Relevance of water

interventions for other sectors (energy, agriculture, environment)

Relevance for delivery of MDGs

Inter-linkages with other sectors

Energy Climate change

adaptation measures Agriculture Biodiversity

FOOD CRISIS STATUS:

Mixed results for MDG1: some progress, but more work ahead

Highest under-nourishment among all regions Nearly 240 million people in SSA undernourished Increasing proportion of undernourishment in other

countries Food crisis slowing down progress for MDG1

ACHIEVEMENTS Achievement of MG1 by some - the Congo, Ghana,

Mali, and Nigeria Considerable progress in others – e.g. Mozambique

FOOD CRISIS: AchievementsIncreased yields and agricultural growth through increased investments in agricultural R&D

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Several countries have passed target; others making progress

FOOD CRISISCHALLENGES

Persistent high food prices

Market weaknesses Low productivity and

water efficiency Adverse impact of Climate

change on crop yields Increasing water scarcity Global economic and

financial crises New challenges

competition for land and water resources

Trade-offs between cash and food crops

Emerging land dynamics

OPPORTUNITIES Commercial agriculture

and improved farming systems

Capacity building as medium to long term response

Broader opportunities from investments in water infrastructure

ENERGY: Electrification rateSTATUS:Low rate of electrification in SSA. High dependence on charcoal and wood for

cooking, heating water, and heating homes ￫ a threat to forest resources

0

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80

120

Overall Urban Rural

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Africa North Africa Sub-Saharan Africa

ENERGY: Some Actions Formulation of the Programme for Infrastructure

Development in Africa (PIDA)

Investments in hydropower – Inga hydropower plant in the DRC; capacity of 39,000 MW

and potential for regional interconnected electricity network

Bujagali power plant in Uganda Itezhi-tezhi hydropower plant in Zambia, a PPP project

Regional urban and peri-urban electrification in the EAC

Investments in solar and wind energy – South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, Cape Verde and the Sahel

ENERGYCHALLENGES

Energy security Access to appropriate

energy services in rural communities

Environmental impacts of adoption of alternatives to fossil fuels.

Inadequate resources Barriers: Economic,

regulatory and institutional

Lack of technical capacity

Slow rate of adoption of new technologies

OPPORTUNITIES New partnerships and

new windows of investment.

Opportunities linked to the adoption of renewable energy options

Review of policiesPursue ways to

remove barriersOpportunities for

skills development, enhancing employment opportunities

DESERTIFICATIONSTATUS:

Most countries have formulated NAPs Implementation and elaboration process of the

NAPs in some countries By 2007, 42 countries had developed and

adopted NAPs Some countries have set up National

Desertification Funds as part of the NAP process

4 Sub-regional Action Programmes finalized

DESERTIFICATION: Actions takenInitiative /

programObjectives

The NEPAD Environment Initiative (EI)

Combating desertification Finalizing sub-regional action plans for the

NEPAD Environment Initiative

The Green Wall for the Sahara Initiative

To slow the advance of the Sahara Desert Control land degradation, promote integrated

natural resources management, Conserve biological diversity

African Monitoring of Environment for Sustainable Development (AMESD)

Environmental Monitoring

GEF OP15 SLM program Supporting activities to combat desertification and mitigate drought impacts.

Supporting the implementation of UNCCD and SLM

DESERTIFICATIONCHALLENGES

Slow and ineffective process of integrating NAPs into NDPs and PRSPs

Limited progress in implementing NAPs due to

Failure to integrate desertification control plans into planning and budgetary frameworks

Lack of capacity Lack of resources

Poverty Levels

OPPORTUNITIESIntegrated action:

leverage climate change and biodiversity initiatives

CLIMATE CHANGEInter-linkages with all sectors; impacts on all

areas on developmentIncreasing frequency of droughts and floods resulting

in destruction of infrastructure, crops, land cover, settlements

Loss of runoff, reduced river flow, limited groundwater recharge

Water stress; limited hydropower productionSalinization of groundwater and surface water

resources due to sea encroachment increasing pressure on water supply infrastructure

Increased burden of diseases with changing patternsChanges in agro-ecological zones

CLIMATE CHANGE: Some ActionsEstablishment of the ClimDev Africa ProgramThe Green Economy StrategyJICA, IDRC and DFID programmes on Climate

Change Adaptation in Africa Ratification and implementation of the UNFCCC by

African countries Preparation of NAPAsLaunching of the Nairobi Framework in 2006 by

UNDP, UNEP, World Bank Group, AfDB, and the UNFCCC

Implementation of Programmes under the Climate Investment Funds( PPCR, FIP, CTF,SREP)

Global Environment Facility country allocations

CLIMATE CHANGECHALLENGES

Resources to adequately address impacts of CC

Lack of technology and know-how

Low adaptive capacity to climate related stresses

Unintended impacts of mitigation and adaptation measures

OPPORTUNITIES Climate smart and

sustainable agriculture Improved crop varieties Sustainable land and

water management Use of renewable

energy and improved energy efficiency

Fuel efficient polluting public transportation

Maintaining ecosystems and biodiversity protection

GLOBAL FINANCIAL & ECONOMIC CRISES ISSUES:

Growth slowdown in Africa is a result of declining trade flows

Decline in capital inflows and remittances Declining tourism receipts Economic down turn in 2009; slow

recovery from 2010 The economy showed signs of recovery in

2010, with growth of 2.4%, and is expected to grow by 5% in 2011

Impacts have been varied across countries – commodities vs agricultural economies

Loss of jobs across all sectors

GLOBAL FINANCIAL & ECONOMIC CRISES

CHALLENGES:Rising costs of

implementing public programs

Rising costs of basic commodity imports

Negative impacts on the countries ability to achieve MDGs.

Job losses Missed commitments

OPPORTUNITIESNew realistic

assessments of resources required

Benefits of integrated actions

Leveraging opportunities

Coordination and Harmonization

YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENTISSUES:

Africa’s youthful population: percentage of youth has increased to about 20%.

The labour markets have not increased at similar pace

Other contributors to youth unemployment:

Skills mismatches between the outputs of the education systems and the needs of business

General shortage of ‘decent work’ Global financial and economic crises

YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT: Some Actions Investments in education Skills training programs Public sector work programmes in

Ethiopia and South Africa designed to absorb the unemployed

Business skills training Micro-credits to start businesses Ethiopia’s Technical and Vocational

Education and Training (TVET) to make the educational system responsive market needs

YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENTCHALLENGES

Improving skills of the youth

Meeting the quality needs of education

Job-less economic growth

The right incentives Imports and impact

on domestic businesses

OPPORTUNITIESYouth as future

skilled labourIncreasing targeted

technical and vocational training

Skill development links to job market

MEANS OF IMPLEMENTATIONCHALLENGES:

Lack of Harmonization

Inadequate resources Low and declining

flows of ODA and FDI Complex institutional

structures Inadequate capacity Engagement of the

private sector

OPPORTUNITIES:New institutionsRenewed

commitmentInter-linkagesClimate change

interventions

RECOMMENDATIONSIdentify opportunities for inter-linkages and

enhance leveraging to speed up responding to challenges and to improve efficiency of use of resources

Increase the effective use of available financial resources and enhance partnerships to achieve development goals

Generate new public and private sources of finance

Improve the capacity for implementing and monitoring national policies

Create opportunities for the coordination of implementation mechanisms at lower operational levels

RECOMMENDATIONSPromote, facilitate and finance appropriate access to

and the development, transfer and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies including renewable energy

Increase use of information and communication technologies to enhance effective communication and information sharing

Expedite activities and enhance decision making at lower levels to improve land and water management

Mainstream climate change into national planning to build resilience and support transformation to greener economy

Increase investment and improve inputs to ensure increased yields and productivity in the agriculture sector

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION