Addis Ababa: President Sahle-Work Zewde said the time for cooperation to ensure Africa’s food self-reliance is now.
Ethiopia hosted a high-level event today on Food Self-Reliance in Africa, titled “Africa Can Be Food Self-Reliant: Climate-Smart Solutions and Collective Action for Food System Transformation,” on the sideline of the 37th Ordinary Session of the African Union’s Assembly of Heads of State and Government.
President Sahlework Zewde who spoke at the forum said that the current Adwa is to make Africa self-sufficient in food through a coordinated continental effort. She mentioned that 90 percent of Africa’s agriculture depends on rain.
She stated that agriculture does not have a modern system and pointed out that there is no coordination to ensure food security for the continent.
The president mentioned that climate change is affecting the continent’s agriculture, adding that the limited availability of finance and other problems are challenging the process of ensuring food security.
Leaders and
professionals should realize that the time for cooperation is now to ensure the continent’s food security, she stressed.
For this, she said, a common vision and knowledge of a sustainable agricultural strategy, and a joint effort are essential.
The president mentioned that Ethiopia, as a pioneer of Pan-African has carried out practical activities for food self-sufficiency in the past years.
She said that Ethiopia is working to modernize agriculture to ensure food sovereignty, to deal with climate change by integrating the Green Legacy Initiative with the food system.
President Sahle-work Zewde pointed out that in order to implement a balanced diet food system; attention has been paid to a ‘bounty of basket’ initiative and she emphasized that countries should work together to ensure continental food security by taking Ethiopia’s experience.
Africans can ensure their food sovereignty if they unite and should learn from Adwa’s victory, the president indicated.
President Sahle-work Zewde, Tunisian Prime Min
ister Ahmed Hashani, Transitional Government of Chad Prime Minister Success Masra were present at the high level forum, along with leaders, ministers and diplomats of various African countries.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency