Climate change has an impact on food production and economic activity within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and can have devastating effects on infrastructure connecting neighbouring countries causing huge economic losses. These were sentiments of Mr Seiso Mohai, a delegate from South Africa to the 53rd Southern African Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum held in Arusha, Tanzania. Mr Mohai, a member of the SADC Standing Committee on Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources, said there must be concerted efforts by Member states on measures to mitigate against disasters such as those that affected South Africa in recent months.
Recent global events have made it clear that we have a long way to go in the fight against hunger, undoing much of the progress we have made over the years, said Mr Mohai during his statement in support of the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources. Mr Mohai proposed agro-processing by taking wheat and turning it into different nutritious foods which can last longer, waste less and thereby ensure there was enough food for everyone.
Mr Mohai continued to say that when wheat is turned into foods, the results are a variety of safe and healthy options to eat and can help people make better food choices and live healthier lives. Mr Mohai further proposed that regional countries need to adopt South Africa’s Agriculture and Agro Master Plan as a means of addressing food insecurities. Furthermore, South Africa, like most countries, believes that agro-processing plays a crucial role in ensuring food security, improving well-being and driving job creation.
The Agriculture and Agro Master Plan was created through discussions with government, businesses, labour groups and civil society organisations. It provides a roadmap for making the agriculture sector more competitive through innovations in technology, improving infrastructure and embracing digitalisation, as well as generating employment opportunities, particularly for women and youth.
Mr Mohai cautioned that to make agro-processing successful, Member state need to support it with good policies and investments, which include investing in infrastructure, providing access to finance and technology, and creating an enabling environment through supportive policies and regulations.
Mr Mohai concluded by saying, “We are confident that the implementation of our Agriculture and Agro-Processing Plan will propel our country towards a brighter and more prosperous future.”
Source: Parliament of South Africa