Africa is not on track to achieve zero hunger by 2030 – FAO Africa Rep

Mr. Abebe Haile-Gabriel, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Regional Representative for Africa, revealed that Africa is not on track to achieve zero hunger for by 2030.

He said this at a meeting reviewing the continent’s progress towards achieving this goal so far.

Co-organized by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the World Food Program (WFP), in collaboration with the government of the Republic of Congo, the meeting is part of the seventh session of the African Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD)) which is underway in Brazzaville and practically monitored by the Ghana News Agency.

“The results remain unsatisfactory and the challenges are numerous due to climate change, the poor economic situation and the negative impacts of COVID 19, as well as the lack of public investments,” said Mr. Haile-Gabriel.

He said, however, that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was a unique opportunity for the transformation of the continent’s food system.

To solve the problem of hunger in Africa, Mr. Haile-Gabriel said political will and commitment at the highest level was essential, adding that actions and investments at national and local levels were also essential.

He said there was an urgent need for the continent to build itself and advance better after the COVID-19 pandemic, with governments called upon to invest in social protection measures to save society’s most vulnerable.

The transformation of the African food system was crucial to help end hunger, he said, adding that adopting holistic multisectoral approaches was necessary.

Mr. Chris Toe, representative of WFP, said African countries must prioritize and scale up investments in rural transformation, sustainable infrastructure and human capital development as they work to end hunger and food insecurity.

This, he said, will not only help sustain the progress being made, but also contribute to the continent’s quest to achieve zero hunger, in line with the SDGs and Africa’s commitment to 2025 to achieve zero hunger. end to hunger and the aspirations of Agenda 2063.

Mr. Mukena Bantu, a Congolese government official, adviser in charge of cooperation and projects, speaking on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Joseph-Antoine Kasongo, said the new administration was determined to accelerate the development of agriculture to end hunger.

“We have said that the soil must take over the subsoil,” he said, adding: “There is a political will to take all the actions necessary to achieve food security”.

The side event allowed Member States to reflect and share on transformative actions and investments that will facilitate the construction of African food systems to better meet the aspirations and objectives of Agenda 2030 and Agenda 2063. of the African Union.

— RNG