Africa Makes Great Strides Towards Zero Hunger, Despite Hurdles-FAO

FAO

The Director General of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) José Graziano da Silva  said Africa has made great strides in tackling hunger – and achieving a 30 percent drop in the proportion of its people facing hunger over the 1990-2015 period.


He however said  climate change, conflict and social inequality continue to present major challenges in the continent’s quest for a future free from hunger and want,

According from Abuja to him”Africa’s economic performance remains robust with growth rates above the global average. However, vulnerability to climate change is high, post-harvest losses are considerable, natural resources are being depleted, and not everyone is benefiting from the proceeds of the current strong economic growth.

Access to remunerative income, social protection systems and decent employment opportunities remain narrow for too many rural households.

He was speaking at the official opening of the FAO’ Regional Conference for Africa, in Abidjan with the participation of the Prime Minister of Côte d’Ivoire, Daniel Kablan Duncan and the Minister of State for Agriculture , Nigeria

Graziano da Silva urged participants to continue to work together to harness the power of the food and agriculture sector as a catalyst for inclusive growth, poverty reduction and fighting hunger, saying: “Inspite of the many hurdles along the way, today I urge you to look at how far we have come in the journey to end hunger in our lifetimes.”

The conference’s theme ‘’Transforming African Agri-food systems for inclusive growth and shared prosperity” mirrors the vision of the African Union and its NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency to realise a renewed vision for Africa’s agriculture sector.