By Benadetta Chiwanda Mia in Harare, Zimbabwe:
Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) at the African Union Josefa Sacko has challenged African countries to implement bold policies to transform agriculture and achieve food sufficiency.
Sacko said this at the commemoration of the 15th African Day for Food and Nutrition Security (ADFNS) during the 20th CAADP Partnership Platform (PP) event in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Sacko warned of increasing challenges posed by hunger and malnutrition if countries did not take a daring step.
“I call upon research institutions to support the African Union in developing bold policies that prioritise agriculture
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“We should be proud of Africa’s global example as the only continent with a unified framework addressing agriculture and food and nutrition security through the CAADP framework,” Sacko said.
Zimbabwe Minister of Agriculture Anxious Jongwe Masuka urged countries to focus not only on food security but also on food sovereignty.
“Allocating more resources to agriculture will drive economic transformation,” he said.
National Planning Commission Board Chairperson Richard Mkandawire highlighted challenges in governance mechanisms that hinder agricultural sector growth.
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“Countries like Malawi struggle to commit resources to research and development and extension systems,” Mkandawire said.
Participatory Ecological Land Use Management Malawi Country Coordinator Nozgenji Bilima pointed to the importance of sustainable solutions and innovations in facing climate change impacts on food security.
