Deakin, ACT, Australia
October 31, 2011

The establishment of the Australian International Centre for Food Security is an exciting initiative, based on Australia’s recognised strengths in agricultural production, research and education.

This was the response by Dr Denis Blight, Executive Director of the Crawford Fund, to the CHOGM announcement of the establishment of the Centre as part of a range of initiatives for food security in Africa. Dr Blight was in Perth attending a meeting of the Commonwealth Roundtable at which he stressed the importance of international agricultural research cooperation as 'aid that works.'

“Australia’s strength in agriculture and agricultural research has been forged in tough environmental conditions by resilient farmers and brilliant scientists,” he said.

“This new approach further consolidates Australia’s credentials in international agricultural research through the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and most recently through a new suite of partnerships between African and Australian scientists working on important food security topics such as improving maize legume farming systems, combating animal diseases and enhancing the nutritional quality of food.

“These important projects in Africa build on Australia’s strengths as an agricultural research leader and innovator,” he said.

Dr Blight noted that this announcement comes thirty years after another CHOGM announcement by Malcolm Fraser in Melbourne, 1981 that led to the establishment of the now internationally renowned Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), which would be leading the Australian International Centre for Food Security.

“Speaking personally, it is a special thrill to see the emergence of an initiative that builds on the ACIAR idea that had been championed by Sir John Crawford, in whose honour the Crawford Fund was established. It will further focus our efforts in Africa and underlines the long-held bipartisan support for global development through food security, using our technical and policy expertise,” said Dr Blight.

Dr Blight noted that the initiative draws together important threads which are recurring themes in past and current Crawford Fund policy work.

“The Fund is particularly gratified with the Centre’s initial focus on sub Saharan Africa, an alignment that we recommended in our 2008 Report on World Food Security - how Australia can help.”

“The proposed international conference on African food security, to set a strategic framework and forward work program for the new centre, will need a team approach with AusAID, ACIAR, Australia’s Federal and State research organizations and universities, and other public and private sector stakeholders to work with African partners to yield win-win opportunities for Africa and Australia, and ensure food security for generations to come,” he said.

Dr Gabrielle Persley, leader of the new Crawford Fund research project on “A wider canvas of emerging issues in international agricultural research,” and Chair of the Doyle Foundation, a Scottish based charity that advocates the role of science and technology in development and especially in relation to livestock in Africa, also welcomed the announcement.

“Having spent much of the past decade working with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Africa, I have seen the benefits of Australia’s financial and scientific contribution first hand, including building new partnerships with young African scientists, such as those hosted by Biosciences eastern and central Africa, a new shared research facility hosted by ILRI in Nairobi, ,” she said. Dr Persley noted some examples of important work being conducted by African scientists and their international partners including:

• New cassava varieties resistant to brown streak disease being developed by Tanzania and Uganda,where cassava (tapioca) is a major staple crop, especially important in times of drought.
• Sweet potato, also a famine relief crop in East Africa and new yellow fleshed varieties beingdeveloped offer enhanced Vitamin A content, important in the diets of women and children.
• Improved management for African swine fever, a devastating disease of village pigs in Africa whichare an important source of animal protein and of cash income for rural communities.

“These are only a few examples of how first class science and scientists in Africa are making life better for many people living in harsh environments in the countries of Africa. The new Australian food
security centre will be a welcome addition to both accelerate and expand these efforts”, Dr Persley said.  

Website: http://www.crawfordfund.org/

Published: November 2, 2011