The African Union Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, Angolan Josefa Sacko, pointed out as the main challenges for the sector, in the coming years, the increase in food production, a vision that focuses on nutritional security in the continent.
Speaking last Thursday, from Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), in the debates of the ninth meeting dubbed “Strategic Triangle: Latin America – Europe – Africa”, the official stressed the intention to make the continent less and less dependent on imports of products of the basic food group.
As an example, she said that in 2019 the continent spent around US$47B to import food, a trend that is being reversed within the framework of the 2020/2063 agenda of the African Union (AU).
As for the implementation of the continental free trade area, she considered it a fundamental step, at a time when work is being done to create a food security agency, whose purpose is to ensure the quality of food produced in Africa.
Also read: Angola may become self-sufficient in food in five years
Engineer Josefa Sacko recognized weaknesses in the continent’s food system that could worsen the situation of the most vulnerable populations and accentuate levels of malnutrition, particularly at this stage of Covid-19 pandemic.
She went on to explain that the situation can hopefully be reverted through the 2020/2063 agenda of the AU, which focuses on promoting agribusiness through public policies and improving the business environment to stimulate international partnerships.
The 9th meeting “Strategic Triangle: Latin America – Europe-Africa”, which ended on Thursday, lasted for two days and had as motto “Triangular response to the global crisis”.
Source: Angop
