Food Security: A Mapping of European Approaches

Project context

Hunger and malnutrition remain a daily tragedy for millions of people in developing countries despite the globalization of investment, advances in technology and the empowerment of millions who have risen out of poverty. A large share of developing countries, particularly those in Sub-Saharan Africa, struggles with food insecurity, which affects not only the lives but also the opportunities of citizens. The spreading famine in the Horn of Africa reinforces the need for stronger engagement and partnerships among donors and recipient countries and a major rethinking over ways to support food security and agricultural development in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The long-term solution to food insecurity in Africa will ultimately be vibrant food markets that raise incomes, provide better nutrition and improve livelihoods. To identify and propose transformational partnerships that drive positive change and lead to scalable food security programs, the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) launched in June 2011 a high-level program called Transformational Partnerships in Food Security in Africa: A Transatlantic Experts Group. GPPi supported the work of this group through applied research.

Project objectives

GMF commissioned GPPi to put together a background study on European donor support for food security in Africa. GPPi conducted an extensive literature and document review and held interviews with stakeholders from the European Commission, France, the United Kingdom and Germany to identify the priorities of European donors in the area of food security. The study highlights potential areas of cooperation among the transatlantic partners and provides recommendations to the expert’s group for how to move forward in order to establish transformational partnerships.

For more information on this project, please contact GPPi's Alexander Gaus or read the German Marshall Fund press release.