Growth and Poverty Mailing List Archive

["James Calvert" <<address removed>>]

Theme 1 group

I am not sure if this is the right place for my comments but I would like to 
start a thread of discussion on DfIDs plan of action and the future.  Whilst 
I welcome the opportunity offered by DfID to seek views of the wider 
community on how to tackle agriculture for poverty reduction, I would like 
to reflect on the past two policy papers and ask what has happened between 
August 2002 and now.

In August 2002 DfID produced a clear strategy paper - with many examples of 
areas for action including that they would ......" work with others under 
the leadership of countries committed to poverty reduction to tackle issues 
raised in this paper" .   The December 2003 paper tell us little more: it 
offers some illustrative examples of work in Africa and Asia; indicates that 
within the 145million of bilateral support a portion is spent on agriculture 
- but does not say how much; it does not provide information on how many 
countries it has worked with to support the national processes to help put 
agriculture on the map nor how effective this has been.  Now DfID is 
inviting others views on what should be done next and examples of good 
practice.

It is clear from the notes by Simon Maxwell and Michael Lipton that there is 
debate to be had on say the future of small farms and how to address poor 
and remote areas. Many of these questions are not just technical but 
political.  We see this from the long debates in Europe - there remain many 
more small farms in France than in the UK. Why?.  Whilst there may be a case 
for big new ideas for some of the poorest parts of the world in particular 
in Africa which will help the transition between the picture painted by 
Michael Lipton and the world seen by Simon Maxwell, this debate should come 
out from within Africa encouraged and supported by sensitive donors.  Does 
DFID give space to such debate - which may not follow the views of say the 
international banks or the International Monetary Fund.  If DFID is serious 
about agriculture and the role is can and should continue to play in helping 
with poverty reduction then perhaps it could take as a starting point the 
paper of August 2002.

Some suggestions:
1.    Against the 2002 paper - set some clear targets of both spend and 
activity.  Many development agencies have devolved much responsibility to 
their country offices. Is this true with DfID? and if so do these offices 
buy into the 2002 (and 2003) paper and can they agree clear action plans and 
targets
2.  Be proactive in helping the debate at country level including putting in 
support funds for sustained discussion and monitoring of change
3.  Invest money in learning - many practices need to be validated and 
confirmed to be useful to others
4.  Ensure that the staff of DfID have the skills to take forward the work - 
there was no information in the DfID papers on how many agriculture, 
livestock, fisheries, land, forestry, agriculture extension specialists, etc 
are in DfID.
5.  Be prepared to take risks - together with country government and civil 
society on new ideas
6.  Support developing country policy researchers and makers, in a 
significant and long term manner, to do policy research and lead national 
debate on agriculture - so they are better placed to guide donors including 
DfID

My last comment is that there is no single golden bullet that will resolve 
these difficult policy issues - there has not been in Europe or in the USA - 
so why assume that it is different.   Undoubtedly the developed countries 
must do more to help to ensure that agriculture becomes more globally 
equitable so beyond all the very important trade debates that means 
significant inputs into many of the things mentioned in the DfID paper of 
August 2002.   DfID should not go on reflecting on what to do next but must 
get on with action now and in a significant, transparent and accountable 
way.

I hope this note helps to stimulate a discussion not just on technical 
issues, which are important, but on how DfID does business.

James Calvert

_________________________________________________________________
Tired of 56k? Get a FREE BT Broadband connection 
http://www.msn.co.uk/specials/btbroadband

=============================================================
To send a reply to this message that goes to all list members,
make sure that you send your reply to <address removed>

To unsubscribe from this list, send an email to "<address removed>", with the message body:

unsubscribe growth-and-poverty <your-email-address>