The Initiative to End Hunger in Africa

IEHA originated in the global recognition that hunger in Africa is one of the most significant development challenges facing the world today. The primary goal of IEHA is to rapidly and sustainably increase agricultural growth and rural incomes in sub-Saharan Africa. The agricultural sector is especially important because agriculture is the primary source of employment for an estimated 70 percent of the African population and low per capita incomes are closely correlated with both poverty and hunger.

The commitment of USAID to implement the initiative stems from the recognition that clear political and technical options for reversing the trends of hunger and poverty in Africa now exist. The initiative recognizes that success requires sustained programming in agricultural-based policies, strategies, and programs, in conjunction with improvements in health, education, infrastructure, environment and public policy.

The initiative calls for a partnership with African leaders and governments to work and invest in a smallholder-oriented agricultural growth strategy. Since significant domestic and foreign investment from the private sector is also necessary, the conditions to attract and support private investment need to be established and maintained. IEHA was announced as a Presidential initiative, and is managed by the Africa Bureau of USAID/Washington in collaboration with its Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade (EGAT) Bureau.

Implementation at full funding levels will be focused on three priority countries in each sub-region (Eastern Africa, Southern Africa, and West Africa). Mali, Mozambique and Uganda were selected for initial FYO3 funding. Ghana and Nigeria are likely to be the other two priority countries in West Africa IEHA work at the sub-regional level will be coordinated and largely carried out by the three USAID regional missions in Africa (the West African Regional Program in Mali/Ghana, the Regional Economic Development and Services Office for East and Southern Africa based in Nairobi, and the Regional Center for Southern Africa in Botswana), but they will act in close coordination with bilateral missions and an array of development partners at the regional and national level.

Each of the Programs are expected to:

  • Create a coordinated sub-regional (multi-country) momentum and dynamic to induce and encourage agricultural growth.
  • Support the efforts of and partner with countries and leaders committed to agricultural growth as a critical development pathway.
  • Identify and target development options and opportunities to accelerate rural smallholder-based agricultural growth, leading to more efficient use of resources.
  • Build effective linkages with other sectors and initiatives, including education, health (HIV/AIDS, diarrhea, and malaria prevention), macroeconomic reform, and infrastructure to achieve economic and social development objectives common to everyone.
  • Build alliances and a broad-based political and financial commitment among development partners, public and private, in Africa and internationally, to cut hunger in half—and stay the course to achieve this by 2015.

>The Mali Plan focuses on the six core themes of IEHA:
  • Advancing scientific and technological applications and support services using new technology (e.g., information technology and biotechnology) and global markets to raise agricultural productivity, create agriculture-based enterprises and support sustainable land use management.
  • Improving the efficiency of, and participation in, agricultural trade and market systems for major African products in local, sub-regional and international markets and the integration of African countries into global markets for agricultural goods and services.
  • Promoting and strengthening community-based producer organizations to help link business and farmers to create new opportunities that add value, raise incomes, deliver services and increase the participation of the rural majority in decision-making processes.
  • Building the human and institutional capacity to shape and lead the policy and research, as well as provide agricultural education.
  • Integrating vulnerable groups and countries in transition into sustainable development processes.
  • Strengthening environmental management to a) conserve and foster the production of environmental goods and services that contribute to economic growth and b) make agricultural production and water management environmentally sustainable.


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last updated: monday, february 25 2008