UNWFP urges SADC to pursue food self sufficiency

UNWFP urges SADC to pursue food self sufficiency

Hosia Mviringi

The United Nations World Food Program has called on SADC to embrace mechanisms that promote food self sufficiency as a way to counter unforeseen supply disruption.

Speaking after a courtesy call on President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House in Harare, WFP Regional Director for Southern Africa Dr Menghestab Haile said that Southern Africa needs to capitalise on abundant availability of productive capacity in the region to become food self sufficient.

The region has been a recipient of food inflation as a result of a sharp global food supply disruption due to the ongoing geopolitical crisis in Ukraine.

“This is a call for everyone to work together to address our issues. We have Covid-19 and now we have the Ukraine war. This has shown us that we should produce for ourself in this region. The SADC region has water, land and the people (clever people) to work that land. So we are able to produce enough food in this region,” he said.

Dr Haile emphasised the need for governments of SADC member states to work together through coordination of the office of the Executive Secretary to overcome the problem.

“Now the call is, let’s work together, lets diversify and let’s produce food for ourselves. For this, governments of the region are working together with the coordination of the Executive Secretary. We are aware of our challenges, but we are equally aware that through proper policies and interventions we will get through this,” said Dr Haile.

SADC has experienced climate shocks in recent years as a result of draughts and flooding, which amplifies the news to invest in climate proofing technologies for agriculture.