Can Africa feed itself? George Alagiah hosts debate at DFID

13 November 2009

'It's real, it's tangible... it's life and death'

The challenge of how to increase food production to feed the world’s poor whilst minimising the greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture was one of the central themes in a climate change debate held at the Department for International Development (DFID) yesterday (12 November 2009).

Video: voxpops from the food security debate panelists

The debate was chaired by newsreader and journalist George Alagiah (who recently presented the BBC2 documentary series 'Future of Food') and included the government’s chief scientist Professor John Beddington as keynote speaker.

Ahead of the World Summit on Food Security in Rome, which takes place next week from 16-18 November, the panel debated a wide range of issues, including what science is telling us about the impact of climate change on food security and agriculture in Africa. The roles and relationships between the private sector, civil society, African governments, development agencies and foundations were also under discussion.

The debate highlighted the need for action to be taken now to address the climate change challenge. This includes support to the African Union/NEPAD Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme.

Introducing the debate, George Alagiah said:

"For some people, climate change is real, it's tangible, it's a matter of life and death.

"I hope that people begin to realise that the most immediate effect of climate change might well be food security."

Listen to the debate in full

The panel also included Kathy Sierra, World Bank vice president for Sustainable Development; Christie Peacock, director of FARM Africa, Andrew Steer. Director General, Policy and Research at DFID, and (via video-link from Harare) Lindiwe Sibanda, head of FANRPAN (Food and Natural Resources Policy Action Network),

Meanwhile a recently published report warned that 25 million more children will be malnourished in 2050 due to the effects of climate change. The DFID supported report, Climate Change: Impact on Agriculture and Costs of Adaptation, was published by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).