The population of African countries is likely to double over the next twenty years. How will these nations be able to feed themselves if a substantial part of their food has to be imported, especially as most of these countries also have to import their energy? This is the real of challenge facing African countries at the close of this century.

This paper is a draft report on the Ad Hoc Committee on the Draft Medium Term Plan.

The main objective of the symposium was to assess the performance of Farming Systems Research (FSR) in the sub-region in terms of new knowledge generated, technical agricultural research results, research methods and techniques, multi-disciplinary practices, the participation of farmers and extension workers in the research process, and the degree of institutionalization of the approach itself. An additional objective of the symposium was to identify priority areas and themes for collaborative research projects and research funding requests in the sub-region.

This study assesses the economic implications of land ownership security in rural Thailand. It uses data from this country to rigorously analyze several aspects of land ownership security. It provides both qualitative and quantiative information on the effects of ownership security. The study presents a conceptual model and literature review and is followed by separate discussions on the evolution of land rights in Thailand; the study methodology and the nature of the data; and the credit market.

Au cours des deux dernières décennies, l'Afrique a graduellement perdu les moyens qu'elle avait de nourrir sa population et de financer ses investissements dans le secteur agricole. Elle dépend de plus en plus des pays industrialisés pour la satisfaction des besoins. La question logique est par conséquent de savoir s'il existe un quelconque espoir pour les populations d'Afrique.

This report seeks to look at both sides of the picture to help member countries gain an insight into the principal factors which facilitated or hindered the Plan's implementation during the period 1980-19*5. It has been prepared in response to ECA's 1986-1987 programme budget, which "quires, inter alia, an evaluation of the LPA's implementation m the food and agriculture sector within the biennium.

Over the last two decades* Africa has gradually lost its ability to feed its population and finance its investment for its agricultural sector. It is increasingly depending on industrialized countries for its needs. At the same time, earnings from major export crops have drastically fallen while external debts of many African States have multiplied over the last decade.

Dans son budget programme pour la période biennale 1986-1987 qui a été entérine par la onzième réunion do la Conférence des ministres tenue à Addis-Abeba en mai 1985 et ultérieurement approuve par la quarantième session de l'Assemblée générale des Nations Unie. Le présent rapport, est un résume des principales questions soulèves lors du séminaire et des mesures pratiques envisagées pour améliorer les moyens des pays dans le domaine de la commercialisation agricole pour ce qui est des arrangements sous-régionaux en matière de CTPD.

The recent FAO in-depth study on agricultural and food problems in Africa concluded that even the present inadequate food supply situation is unsustainable. Unless major policy decisions are taken and implemented to resolve the food production crisis and reduce the rate of population growth, the trends of the past 25 years will continue and the food supply situation will continue to deteriorate during the next 25 years. Famine of the magnitude experienced during the 1983-1934 drought could become a regular feature even in period of more average rainfall.

This paper examines the role of the International Financial institutions in the formulation of African macro-economic policies with particular reference to efforts aimed at adjusting the agricultural sectors of African economies. The paper attempts to

assess the impact of Structural Adjustment Programs(SAP)on African agriculture and through an examination of the application of the programs in three African countries - Malawi,Tanzania and Zambia.

L'Afrique au sud du Sahara ou se situent les pays africains les moins avances a été décrite comme la seule grande région du monde ou le taux de croissance démographique continue à croître et ou la production alimentaire par habitant a baissé au cours des vingt-cinq dernières années. Il est tout a fait évident que les pays africains les moins avancés doivent faire face a un problème d'autosuffisance alimentaire. Les secteurs des exportations et de l'alimentation des pays africains les moins avancés ont cédé le pas a la crainte de l’avenir.