FAO, ECOWAS sign food security pact

The Food and Agricultural Organization and the Economic Community of West African States signed a US $360,000 deal on Thursday to support a food security programme for the subregion. ECOWAS reported that the money would help ensure agricultural production on a sustainable basis in the 15 nations that make up the community. Expectations are that the programme would boost agricultural trade among member states and between West Africa and the rest of the world. "Activities to be carried out under the food security programme are expected to be directed at strengthening legislative, policy and institutional structures, at the subregional and national levels," ECOWAS reported. It said the legislative and policy works would "focus mainly" on establishing legally binding instruments that would ensure coherent, harmonised policies and programmes at the regional level. It would also provide "common direction and scope" for agricultural development and food security in West Africa. At the institutional level, ECOWAS added, work would be concentrated on integration and coordination of existing or planned services, systems and mechanisms for aspects of agricultural production and trade. The idea, it added, was to establish "a much more powerful and unified" resource base of the subregion and enhance preparation to improve competitiveness in agricultural production and trade. The agreement is the second between the two bodies since November 2001 when they signed a deal under which the FAO provided $395,000 to establish a Regional Food Security Information System in West Africa. Another agreement is to be signed in May for a study to prepare a common agricultural policy for ECOWAS member states. When done, the accord will bring to $1.2 million the FAO's financial support of agriculture in the subregion, ECOWAS reported.