Presentation of FSRP

West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP)

West Africa is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world. Climatic, agricultural, health, market and conflict risks make the performance of the food system highly volatile, triggering more frequent and severe food crises. In addition to its almost permanent nature, vulnerability in West Africa is characterised by inequality between social groups. Indeed, major inequalities persist between women and men in terms of access to resources likely to improve their living conditions through agriculture - in particular access to land and equipment, credit, markets and advisory and support services.

Faced with these facts, the region has made strong commitments to transform agriculture and strengthen the resilience of the food system, and is benefiting from funding from the World Bank and its partners to implement the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP).

Objectives

- Development objective

The development objective of the FSRP is to increase preparedness against food insecurity and improve the resilience of food system stakeholders in countries participating in the Programme.

-Specific objectives

- Contribute to the prevention and management of agricultural and food crises

- Strengthen the resilience of agro-sylvo-pastoral production systems

- Facilitate trade in agricultural goods and inputs within and across national borders in West Africa.

Implementation approach. The PRSA has adopted a multi-phase programme approach. The first phase of the Programme covers four (4) countries (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Togo) and regional actions led by ECOWAS, CILSS and CORAF. The second phase includes three (3) additional countries (Ghana, Sierra Leone and Chad) and the third phase concerns Senegal. Ultimately, the FSRP aims to achieve full regional coverage.

At regional level, ECOWAS monitors and coordinates the overall implementation. The Programme is supervised by a Regional Steering Committee (RSC) which meets once a fiscal year to ensure that the Programme's activities are consistent with the vision and the projects and programmes of the beneficiaries.

Implementation is carried out by: (i) CILSS (AGRHYMET) for component 1; (ii) CORAF for component 2; and (iii) ECOWAS for components 3 and 5.

ECOWAS delegates the implementation of regional fiduciary activities to its Regional Agriculture and Food Agency (RAAA). The RAAA is mandated to provide technical assistance to regional programmes and investment plans that contribute to the operationalisation of ECOWAS regional agricultural policy.

At national level, each country has set up a national PRSA steering committee to provide policy guidance. In addition, a Coordination Unit (UCP) within the supervisory ministry is responsible for the technical implementation of the Programme.

Areas of intervention

FSRP is organised around 4 areas of intervention:

(i) strengthening digital advisory services for the prevention and management of regional agricultural and food crises;

(ii) sustainability and adaptability of the productive base of the food system;

(iii) integration of regional food markets and trade;

(iv) emergency response (CERC), which only concerns countries.