CURRENT SITUATION OF FOOD SECURITY IN THE D.R. CONGO: DIAGNOSTIC AND PERSPECTIVES

Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Market Information Systems in Sub-Sahara Africa: Challenges and Opportunities

The paper deals with the emergence and rise of market information systems in sub-Sahara Africa as a result of economic liberalization. There has already been an evolution is such systems and no particular system dominates. Various types of market information systems exist today, public or private, all or not linked to a commodity exchange. The rationale of a commodity exchange is discussed, linked to a market information system. They all struggle with problems of sustainable financing. Very few if any good impact studies exist on such systems, demonstrating their effects on market transparency, information asymmetry, the bargaining power of poor farmers and their market access. Dissemination of the information, using traditional (radio) or modern (ICT) tools is crucial in order to reach the farmers. But market information alone is unlikely to catalyze market supply chains. More is needed to enable poor farmers to gain better access to markets in a more sustainable and remunerative manner.Marketing, Q13, Q18, O13, O17, H41,

BIOTECHNOLOGY IN THE SOUTH: ABSOLUTE NECESSITY OR ILLUSION?

Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

POVERTY AND LIVELIHOOD ENTITLEMENT, HOW IT RELATES TO AGRICULTURE

Food Security and Poverty,

THE CHALLENGES OF POVERTY REDUCTION WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO RURAL POVERTY AND AGRICULTURE IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Food Security and Poverty,

Soft commodity funds, food price volatility, speculation and public Perception. Why soft commodities are a special asset class.

This paper reviews evidence on food price volatility, soft commodity speculation and the public perception of these practices, at least from a Belgian perspective. Soft commodity speculation expanded greatly during the 2007-2008 food crisis and since then has become an asset class of its own in which many banks and investment institutions engage in. This is fueled by food price volatility, especially for the soft primary commodities wich teh food industry uses as ingredients: cereals, oilseeds, vegetable oil, sugar, coffee, cocao, etc ... Of course, speculation is not new and extends to all primary commodities, to stocks and bonds, currencies, and in fact all asset classes. What is special about soft commodity(comprising all agricultural products and raw materials for the food, fiber and bio-fuel industry)speculation is that it impacts our dialy food, and that there are nearly one billion people in the world that are chronically food insecure, i.e. don't have enough to eat every day for a normal and healthy life. The recent food crisis added more than 100 million people, according to FAO, to that group. The 50 poorest countries in the world ) basically all agriculturally based economies-are nearly all net importers of food, particularly cereals, and thus depend on the world market for their food supply. Many poor families spend over half their income on food. And this is why food price speculation raises many ethical questions and why soft commodities - the basis of food - are a special asset class.

MARKET INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN LIBERALIZED AFRICAN EXPORT COMMODITY MARKETS: THE CASE OF COCOA AND COFFEE IN COTE D'IVOIRE, NIGERIA AND CAMEROON

A performing market information system (MIS) is a key accompanying measure to market liberalization. The paper discusses the objectives and purposes of a MIS, its ideal characteristics and its concept and implementation, based on experiences with the cocoa and coffee MIS set up and presently operating in three liberalized African export commodity markets. A phased approach is suggested, with each phase being well defined and launched sequentially. The timing and location of the MIS unit, the dissemination strategy and the financing are discussed. An appropriate dissemination strategy is of vital importance to reach all intended beneficiaries.Marketing, International Relations/Trade,

FAIR TRADE: AN ILLUSION?

International Relations/Trade,

ESTIMATION OF PRODUCTION OF CASSAVA IN BANDUNDU (1987-1988) AND BAS CONGO (1988-1989) REGIONS, AS COMPARED TO OFFICIAL R.D. CONGO STATISTICS

Production Economics,

FOOD SECURITY IN KINSHASA, COPING WITH ADVERSITY

Food Security and Poverty,