REGIONAL INDIC ATIVE STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PL AN 3 5 groups. Most of these measures require public, private genetically modified organisms (GMOs), sanitary and and NGO partnerships. phytosanitary (SPS) measures and trade. Regarding improving nutrition, Member States are urged to adopt strategies that improve nutritional value of 3.4.2.3 food; minimize food losses, particularly for the resource Challenges in Current Policies and Strategies poor, and address food safety. • Absence of a regional food reserve facility and market development and over-dependence on rainfed agriculture; 3.4.2.2 Evaluation of Current Policies and Strategies • Promoting private trading in agricultural products; Food Security policies and strategies have addressed the • Improving rural transport infrastructure; and • Promoting agricultural production and productivity SADC strategic priority to develop an effective disaster preparedness and management mechanism by implementing programmes and projects aimed at early detection, early warning and mitigating the disaster effects. The main achievements have been in information through creating an enabling policy environment for agricultural production, improving access to land and credit and enhancing technology generation and transfer. generation and early warning through the Regional Early Warning System, the Regional Remote Sensing Project, and Data Management and Analysis Projects. The Regional Early 3.4.3 AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING Warning Unit has built capacity in Member States and the region to provide advance early warning information on the 3.4.3.1 food security situation. This has enabled the region to take Review of the Current Policies and Strategies appropriate measures to mitigate the impacts of any The overall goal of Agricultural Research and Training is to impeding food shortages. The Regional Food Security contribute to poverty alleviation and sustainable growth Training Programme has focused on building capacity of through agricultural and natural resources research and regional training institutions, while other programmes have training in the region. The specific objectives are to concentrated on promoting seed availability and developing promote partnerships in the area of agricultural research and disseminating participatory methodologies. But other and training, improve regional research and training co- suggested programmes aimed at promoting food supply ordination and integration, improve the information and and availability, such as food reserve mechanisms, irrigation communication system, and to review the institutional development and agricultural trade facilitation have not framework. The strategies for attaining these objectives received much attention and resources. focus on three broad areas. These areas are strengthening The above projects have been under implementation human resources capacity; strengthening regional for some time. But they do not provide the full range of research and training capacity, co-ordination mechanisms information required to adequately cushion the region for related policy issues, partnerships and stakeholder against food insecurity. In particular, there is an urgent ownership of collaborative research programmes; and need for information on the operations of grain and cereal facilitating exchange of information and dissemination of markets in the region to facilitate trade in food products. research results. Within FANR, there are several strategies on capacity building; however, none of these is addressing agri- 3.4.3.2 business, agro-processing and trade in agricultural products. Evaluation of Current Policies and Strategies The absence of a binding legal instrument on food It is apparent that the policies and strategies of security and agricultural development in general is a Agricultural Research and Training address the following major weakness in the food security strategy. The current strategic priorities: the Development of Science and food crisis in the region has increased the need for greater Technology, Research and Development; the develop- cooperation in this area that would cover such issues as ment, utilization and management of human resources;