Director-General urges African Union to keep focus on food security amid pandemic

23 November 2020, Rome – FAO Director-General QU Dongyu urged African nations to maintain their focus on fostering robust and resilient agri-food systems as a central part of their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He spoke at a Ministerial meeting of the African Union-FAO Task Force on the impacts of COVID-19 on Food Security and Nutrition.

Angela Thoko Didiza, South Africa’s Minister for Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development chaired the meeting attended by a total of 120 participants, with 20 Ministers and representatives from five Regional Economic Communities (RECs), as well as partner organizations including the European Commission, World Bank, African Development Bank, African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the World Food Programme. 

“Your business is our business,” the Director-General said, emphasizing FAO’s commitment to help the region get back on track to end hunger and poverty as pledged in the African Union’s Malabo Declaration Goal of ending hunger by 2025, and the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

The Director-General emphasized FAO’s commitment to support Members, and to help them acquire support from within their own institutions.

He praised the work of the task force, noting the importance of strengthening policy alignment and coordination among Members; the need to attract private-sector partnerships, the importance of saving lives and livelihoods; the need to support enhanced social protection systems for the most vulnerable, to safeguard supply chains; and to strengthen policies and institutions in support of a more sustainable post-pandemic recovery.

The Director-General stressed that innovation, responsible investment and capacity building are key areas to boost productivity, noting that he had emphasized this in his message at the G-20 Leaders’ Summit on Sunday.

Josefa Sacko, African Union (AU) Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, provided an update on the progress made by the task force, who she co-chairs together with FAO. She underlined the importance of this partnership and of the work being carried out in the four work streams that were presented to the participants.

Africa’s food security is already strained by multiple emergencies including conflicts, locust infestations, Fall Armyworm, climate shocks and distress migration. Participants at the meeting reviewed how the pandemic has further exacerbated the situation, particularly by making food less accessible due to the sharp impact on local incomes.

AU Commissioner Sacko noted the strategic relevance of using additional resources to target hot spots identified by FAO and its partners, namely in Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo and northeastern Nigeria.

Minister Didiza noted the potential contribution of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to making sure food can be made available where needed.

“Africa has been doing pretty well in securing the food supply chain and preparing the harvest season,” said FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo. “Taking care of youth, women and employment remains very important.”

Participating ministers had, during the recent FAO Regional Conference for Africa, agreed on the need for multi-sectoral innovative and inclusive approaches for agri-food system transformation and expressed strong support for FAO’s comprehensive and holistic COVID-19 Response and Recovery Programme. That programme is closely connected to FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Initiative.