Aussies to advise Africa on food security

Australia launched a Aus$36 million programme to provide Africa with agricultural expertise in a bid to increase food security on the continent.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard unveiled the initiative at a meeting of Commonwealth leaders in Perth, saying her country's success in farming arid land left it uniquely placed to assist Africa's quest to end hunger.

"This expertise includes dry land and tropical farming, climate change adaptation, commercialisation of agricultural research and water and soil management," she said in a statement.

Gillard said Africa had 60 percent of the world’s uncultivated farmable land but a third of its population still went hungry every day.

"Under-investment in agricultural research and innovation, along with a decline in agricultural productivity, are key factors affecting Africa’s ability to bring about food security," she said.

Under the programme, an Australian International Centre for Food Security will be established in Canberra, offering agricultural research and advice to African countries in need.

Gillard said an office would also be established in Africa and the new centre would host a conference of agricultural research experts next year.

Drought-hit East Africa is the latest region to face a famine crisis, with the UN estimating more than 13 million people there need food assistance, including 750,000 in Somalia who could starve to death in coming months.