Africa urged to cooperate against food insecurity

Grappling with food insecurity. Africa has in the last few years grappled with food insecurity, which has whipped out a number of lives and slowed growth in majority of the continent’s countries.

Africa must join hands to share knowledge that will help the continent understand agricultural practices in order to tackle food insecurity, according to research agency.
As the population continues to increase, so is the pressure impacted on the natural resources demanding for urgent comprehensive efforts in tackling this challenge at the national, regional and global level.

According to Dr Seyfu Ketema, the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (Asareca) executive director, Africa can only be efficient if countries join hands and learn from each other on how to implement agricultural mechanisms that can help to increase food production.

“We want to bring unique technologies from partner states to other states that will help to address common problems and come up with general solutions,” Dr Seyfu said during a recent media briefing .

Majority of the continent’s population resides in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihood. However, there is still a low level of productivity in the sector thereby deepening hunger and malnutrition cases in the East and Central Africa region.
This is worsened by the fact that governments on the continent are yet to prioritise funding of Agriculture, including Uganda.

Dismal allocation
According to Mr Tress Bucyanayandi, the minister of Agriculture, Uganda allocated Shs37 billion, which translates to 4.7 per cent of the country’s national budget.
However, this figure is still too low in line with the Maputo declaration that requires all African governments to allocate 10 per cent of their national budgets.

The 10 per cent funding of the sector seeks to achieve a 6 per cent average annual growth needed in the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).

CAADP is a strategic framework developed to restore agricultural growth, develop rural economies, and enhance food security using integrated fashions.

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