Agriculture plays a major role in pro-poor economic growth in countries with large, poor rural sectors – this is increasingly recognised. There is also a major focus on social protection interventions to address risks and insecurity affecting poor people. However current policy debate and formulation makes limited attempts to integrate agricultural and social protection policies. A number of on-going pieces of work are linked to the FAC programme providing insights into the links between agricultural growth and social protection. These include Working Papers, Policy Briefings, Conferences and engagement in other projects.

A major publication series has been produced during the past year, providing a substantial overview of key findings from across FAC countries, including some work in West Africa. This will appear as a series of FAC working papers (WP) and policy briefs (PB):

Working Papers

• WP01 –Building Synergies between Social Protection and Smallholder Agricultural Policies
• WP02 – Agriculture and Social Protection in Malawi
• WP03 – Agriculture and Social Protection in Ethiopia
• WP04 – Agriculture and Social Protection in Ghana
• WP05 – Agriculture and Social Protection in Kenya
• WP06 – Social Protection for Agricultural Growth in Africa
• WP07 –Seasonality and Social Protection in Africa

Policy Briefs

• PB25 – The Global Fertiliser Crisis and Africa
• PB27 Agriculture and Social Protection in Africa
• PB28 Agriculture and Social Protection in Malawi, Fertiliser Policies and Politics
• PB29 Agriculture and Social Protection in Ethiopia, The Politics of Land and ‘Graduation’
• PB30 Agriculture and Social Protection in Ghana, A ‘LEAP’ in the Dark?

In addition, a FAC-sponsored book, Seasons of Hunger: Fighting Cycles of Quiet Starvation Among the World’s Rural Poor with Hunger Watch, was launched at IDS, ODI and DFID on World Food Day, 16 October 2008.

Country Specific Engagement

Ethiopia

Kenya

Malawi

Africa-wide Engagement