Food Security Development Programme

OBJECTIVE OF THE PROGRAMME

The Government will create the necessary conditions to guarantee availability and accessibility to nutritional products (both in quantity and quality) to all the population. This policy will help the country in becoming less dependent on food imports. Also, employment in the referred sectors will be generated.

ASSOCIATED STRATEGIC TARGETS

a) Strategic Target Nº 19, Chapter III (p.49) VOLUME II

To guarantee balanced and sufficient food to the population.

Indicators

To guarantee food security and reduce the percentages of malnutrition among children and pregnant women.

Tasks

– Reinforce the actions of communitarian nutrition at national and local level.

– Facilitate the application of an effective system of transport, conservation, storage and transformation of local products to guarantee the stability and the availability of food products.

– Elaborate and implement an educational program on nutritional recovery for children and pregnant women.

– Recommend the nutritional benefits of our traditional foods.

b) Strategic Target Nº. 4, Chapter IV (p.60) VOLUME II

To promote modern agriculture that guarantees food security and allows the establishment of a new framework of rural life.

Indicators

· To elaborate new rural maps (Aerial cartography of the agricultural zones and natural reserves) *There is an existing rural map to be updated.

· To complete the general census of agricultural products and livestock *There is an existing General Census of Agriculture and the Livestock to be updated.

· To create a modern and strong program on agrarian operations, based on a diversification strategy and agricultural valuation *A programme has been initiated.

· To reinforce the capacities of the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development (Evolution and competences of the departments in charge of the agriculture and rural development: Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries).

Tasks

– Create a rural map (Aerial cartography of the agricultural zones and natural reserves).

– Completion of the general census of agricultural products and livestock.

– Encourage a diversified production base on development of farming, livestock rearing and production of non-timber.

– Training and capacity building of rural farmers.

– Implementation of educational programs for farmers.

– Provide financing through Rural Development Fund

– In addition to training, a quality framework will be established by the Government.

– Establish small specialised centres of transformation.

– Provide high productivity seeds, fertilizers, phytosanitary products, veterinarian services for livestock.

– Implementation of rural infrastructure policies to allow evacuations of products and creation of markets.

– Construction and equipment of bromatologic and pedagogic laboratories.

– Creation of a food Codex with the support of the FAO.

– Establishment of centres of agricultural mechanisation in each Province or District.

– Training of farming technicians and administrative personnel

– Implementation of an elite agriculture.

– Creation of public companies in the farming sector.

– Support for agricultural co-operatives.

– Creation of plans and programs for farming qualification.

– Implementation of a modern and intensive ranching

– Encourage agricultural production for export.

– Training of human resources based on the objectives enshrined in the Development Programme 2020.

– Adoption of special initiatives for each targeted product, through the creation of local centres poles of production.

– Refurbishment of centralised and decentralised departments.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAMME

The Food Security Programme’s objective is to guarantee availability and access to nutritional products (both in quantity and quality) to all the population. Food security is successful when there is a permanent access to safe and healthy foods, in a sufficient amount that would satisfy the nutritional requirements and supplies for an active and healthy life.

Present status:

Generally:

1. Food dependency and insufficient agricultural production.

2. Commercial farming as cacao and coffee in decline in spite of their quality and reputation in the international markets.

3. Poor production (in decline) of agriculture. Poor use and activity of the rural community.

4. Need for institutional and organisational reform to boost the agro sector.

Potentialities

Agriculture

1. 85,000 Ha (hectares) for cultivation almost unexploited. Traditional agriculture still in use.

2. The soils are fertile due to their high content of mineral elements, which allows for the growth of a great variety of tropical and subtropical crops, with a high commercial value in the international markets.

3. The sector is at an embryonic stage and there are opportunities in the procurement cycle, value chain and product processing.

Livestock

1. The soil and climate conditions allow for livestock production, particularly short-cycle livestock due to its high productivity.

2. Large areas of land that, together with the soil fertility, allow for livestock food production and development.

3. It is a sector free from many endemic diseases that ravage livestock in other regions.

4. Great opportunities in the procurement cycle, value chain and product processing.

5. A considerable domestic and regional demand of meat products.