Africa’s food security under threat: Ehui

WINDHOEK: Director General of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, Simeon Ehui, has expressed concern over land degradation in Africa, which stands at an alarming rate of 65 per cent. He said this poses a threat as Africa's population is expected to reach 2.5 billion people by 2050. Ehui was speaking on the sidelines of the second Ruforum Triennial Conference in Windhoek on Wednesday. He further said that Africa's global agricultural output is a mere 10 per cent, despite the continent's ownership of 25 per cent of the world's arable land. 'This stark contrast underscores the significant challenges we face. As we look to the future, the pressures on our agriculture will intensify. Alarmingly, 65 per cent of our land is already degraded, compounding these challenges. We must close the gap between Africa's agricultural potential and its current output. The stakes could not be higher. With 60 per cent of our population relying on agr iculture for their very livelihoods, the constraints we face such as limited resources, land degradation, and the ever-evolving dietary needs are not just agricultural challenges; they are existential threats,' he stressed. Agricultural challenges such as climate change, population growth, and political unrest, he added, continue to threaten the continent's food security. Ehui called for effective partnerships and strengthened institutional capacity. 'By enabling policies that support development and innovation, we can lay the groundwork for sustainable growth. Partnerships are not just beneficial, they are essential. They are the key to transforming our challenges into actionable solutions, ensuring a secure and prosperous future for Africa,' he noted. The Ruforum Triennial Conference brought key stakeholders in the agriculture sector together to identify opportunities for collaboration that can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of last-mile delivery to rural and agricultural communities. Source :The Namibia News Agency