Research > Maize Marketing > June 2005 Conference

Southern Africa Regional Maize Marketing and Trade Project. A joint collaboration between Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN), Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural Economics and the Rockefeller Foundation

Start time: 8.30am

1. Welcome and introduction – FANRPAN (15 min)

Opening Remarks by Chairman of FANRPAN Board, Prof H.K.R. Amani

2. Brief description of key objectives of government policy with regard to smallholder agriculture and food security, with particular emphasis on the role of maize marketing and trade policy in achieving these national objectives, and the major maize policy challenges faced by governments.

8.45: Director or PS – South Africa
8.55: Director or PS -- Zambia
9.05: Director or PS – Malawi
9.15: Government policy with regard to smallholder agriculture and food security in Mozambique. Higino de Marrule, Department of Policy Analisys. Ministry of Agriculture (MINAG). Centurion Lake Hotel, June 21, 2005. Presentation.

Theme 1: Farm Structure and Smallholder Crop Marketing Behavior

9.25 – 9.50: Maize Marketing and Trade Policy in a Pro-Poor Agricultural Growth Strategy: Insights from Household Surveys in Eastern and Southern Africa. T.S. Jayne, B. Zulu, D. Mather, E. Mghenyi, E. Chirwa, and D. Tschirley. Draft. (25 minutes) Full Report. Presentation.

Discussion (40 minutes)

10.30 Coffee/tea

Theme 2: Organization and Performance of the Maize Marketing Systems in Southern Africa.

Moderator:

11.00 – 11.20: Small-Scale Maize Trading in Zambia. Study Findings. Julius Shawa, Billy Mwiinga, David Tschirley, and Hyde Haantuba. Presentation.

11.20 – 11.40: Toward Improved Marketing and Trade Policies To Promote Household Food Security in Central and Southern Mozambique. David Tschirley, Danilo Abdula, and Pedro Arlindo. Full Report. Presentation.

Discussion (45 minutes): 5 minute kick-off comments from PS/Malawi

12.30 – 1.45 Lunch

Theme 3: Managing Food Price and Supply Instability: Implications for Food Policy Options.

Moderator:

1.45 – 2.10: Managing Price Instability and Risk: Summary of Insights and Policy Options from the World Bank Workshop on Managing Price Instability and Risk, Feb. 28/March 1, 2005 – Derek Byerlee

2.10 – 2.30: Learning from the 2002/03 Crisis in Southern Africa: Lessons for the Current Year--Pedro Arlindo, David Tschirley, Jan Nijhoff, Billy Mwiinga, Michael T. Weber, and T.S. Jayne. Presentation.

2.30 – 2.50: Roles and Interactions Between Private Sector and Government in Ensuring Food Supplies at Tolerable Prices: The Zambian Experience -- Jan Nijhoff and Billy Mwiinga (20 minutes)

Discussion (40 minutes): 5 minute kickoff comments from PS/Zambia

3.30 Coffee/tea

3.50 – 4.10: Monitoring Informal Crossborder Trade in Staple Foods in Southern Africa– Phumzile Mhlahla or John Kasanga and Michelle McNabb. Presentation.

4.10 – 4.30: The Potential Role of Informal Milling and Marketing in Stabilizing Consumer Food Expenditures – Billy Mwiinga and Jan Nijhoff (20 minutes)

Discussion (30 minutes): 5 minute kickoff comments from PS/Mozambique

5.00 Summary Remarks by FANRPAN Coordinator

Meeting Summary – Day 1, Tuesday 21 June 2005

Start time: 8.30

Theme 4: Integrating the Informal and Formal Food Marketing Systems to Improve Household Food Security in Southern Africa: What is the Potential?

Moderator:

8.30 – 8.50: Small-scale maize milling and consumption
in the Limpopo Province of South Africa: An overview. Hester Vermulen, Johann Kirsten, and Eunicah Mphato (20 minutes). Presentation.

8.50 – 9.10: Opportunities to Improve Household Food Security Through Promoting Linkages between Formal and Informal Marketing Agents: Experience From Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Lulama Ndibongo Traub and T.S. Jayne (20 minutes). Presentation.

9.10 Discussion (30 minutes): 5 minute kickoff comments from DG/South Africa

Theme 5: Commodity Risk Management Tools: Their Current Use and Potential in Southern Africa.

Moderator:

9.40 – 10.00: Use of Market-Based Instruments to Manage Food Sector Risks in Southern Africa. Robert Myers (20 minutes). Full Report. Presentation.

10.00 Coffee/tea

10.30 Discussion (30 minutes): 5 minute kickoff discussion from PS/Mozambique

11.00 – 11.20: Using SAFEX to Hedge Price Risk of Imports: Operational Issues & Implications for Governments. Case Study: Malawi and Zambia. Julie Dana and Martin Hamusiya, ZACA. Presentation.

11.20 – 11.40: How Can SAFEX be Used to Promote Small Farmer Interests in the Southern Africa Region? Rod Blondin (not confirmed) SAFEX

11.40: Discussion (40 minutes)

12.30 – 2.00 Lunch

2.00: Synthesizing the Issues:

Panel: Perspectives on the Performance of Maize Marketing and Trade System in Southern Africa (speakers to provide their views on what is working well, what needs to be improved to promote smallholder income growth and food security)

1. George Liacopoulos, Medium sized Trader from Zambia (10 minutes) Presentation.

(Unrecorded Cross-Border Trade Between Malawi and Neighboring Countries. I.J. Minde and T.O. Nakhumwa. Agricultural Policy Research Unit, Bunda College of Agriculture. University of Malawi. Technical Paper No. 90. September 1998. Full Report)

2. South African maize producer representative (10 minutes)

3. Mr George Zimalirana, Director. Ministry of Agriculture - Malawi (10 minutes). Presentation.

4. Dr. S. Mundia, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture. Zambia (10 minutes) Presentation.

5. Representative of large milling company in Lusaka (10 minutes)

6. Maize Marketing and Trade Policies in Southern Africa Toward Defining Appropriate and Mutually Supportive Roles for the Public and Private Sectors. Mr. Chikakula Miti, Agricultural Programme Assistant, COMESA. Full Report. Presentation.

Discussion (45 minutes)

3.30 Conference Closing – FANRPAN Coordinator (10 minutes)

Closing Remarks by Dr. Akin Adesina, Rockefeller Foundation