Regional cooperation to improve food security in Southern and Eastern African countries

The report focuses specifically on the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC), a group of nine countries seeking increased autarky from the Republic of South Africa. Following summary and introductory chapters and a discussion of the SADCC approach to cooperation, Chapter 4 of the report examines the economic theory of integration to see if food security is better achieved through regional or global cooperation; the determinants of success or failure of regional cooperation schemes are investigated. Chapter 5 assesses other integration schemes (e.g., the European Community) and identifies obstacles to integration. Chapter 6 explores how an integration scheme for the SADCC countries could help to stabilize consumption and expand trade, thus improving income growth and food security. In Chapter 7, alternative means of stabilizing food consumption within the SADCC region (e.g., harmonizing production schedules, establishing a regional grain stockpile, developing a foreign exchange stabilization scheme) are explored; the advantages and drawbacks of each of these strategies are identified. (Author abstract, modified)