Sub-Saharan Africa’s long-term food security faces a number of threats.A new report recommends speeding up agricultural productivity, but says a doubling of investment in research and development would be needed.The findings were released at the Forum for Agricultural Research conference in Johannesburg (11/26-28).The report is called Taking Stock of National Agricultural R&D Capacity in Africa South of the Sahara.It lists high population growth, deteriorating soil conditions, climate change and high prices as risk factors to food security.At the 2009 L’Aquila G8 Summit, leaders pledged their support for food security amid a global crisis that saw high prices and less access to food in many poor countries.In a joint statement, they said, “There is an urgent need for decisive action to free humankind from hunger and poverty.Food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture must remain a priority issue on the political agenda.”Gert-Jan Stads is one of the authors of the new study and senior program manager with IFPRI, the International Food Policy Research Institute.He said since L’Aquila, investment in agricultural has improved.“Investments have definitely increased since then and there’s been increased donor interest in agricultural research,
