Dear all,
Conceptualizing this discourse is paramount to the actualization of food security globally both in the urban and peri-urban or rural areas in any nation of the world. The strength which this will galvanize, garnish the food system transformation in this context of urbanization and rural will give the needed desire to food security across the globe. This is why we are advocating for conducive atmosphere and environment that will foster food security especially the states actors for the non-state actors to build on as the foundation in order to thrive successfully.
However, whether urban, peri-urban or rural areas, they can only be classify as one in this context, because of who they deal with ‘human beings’ which are the mechanism to which this can be done, actualize and at the same time the beneficiaries of this food security system in the world, irrespective of population, intellectual capacity differences. In other words, the givers and takers are both humans. I would not want to categorize them into class as urban or peri-urban or rural because of human involve. On a nutshell, the most important point in the discourse is how their needs can be meant and contribution and observation be seen, accepted and taken seriously that will lead to transformation is my utmost delight in this.
For example, the global south majorly rely on the rural farmers for production for survival, this is why I removed the classification method. However, if this is true in the global south, there is high demand and tendency to see the two involve as one and their needs and demands and treated as same for high production for food security except otherwise. Considering infrastructures which enhance food production, and this is basically and practically lacking in the rural that could had strengthened their production if them were there, which the urban has and had not yielded nor increase the food production for food security. Invariably, concentrating development in the urban areas alone has not help these farmers to grow nor increased their products in order to salvage the demand of food security in the world. For example, the national security menace in Nigeria which has affected productions and GDP of Agrifood in the country is mainly rural conflicts between farmers-herdsmen. The attacks are not on the urban areas but rural dwellers, which is just one of the concern issues to mention. In other words, there is need to look inward at the trajectory of development of urban and rural development that will bring inclusiveness, not concentrating on one and leaving the other and allowing the primary need of human to suffer. This has really affected the outcome of production, food security in the urban and the rural. Note, this is not just food security alone but other sectors.
Meanwhile, this misunderstanding of development, without prioritizing the need and those involve have led to rural-urban drift, were farmers have migrated to the cities and thereby becoming redundant to the society because of mis-prioritizing which policy makers of governance has refused to know, understand and taken lessons or learn from. The purpose of transformation is change, when a change occurs or made, definitely there would be transformation in the existence of human in that locality resulting to better living, ways of lives and doing things. And this calls for total change on policy making for policy makers on the principle of governance especially in the global south. That infrastructural needs are not negotiable nor basically the needs of urban dwellers alone also rural dwellers to see even distribution of food system in order to up-scale agricultural productions to meet food security and ensure SDG 1 and 2 is seriously meant.
Secondly, the issue of nutrition in this context most be address from the angle of rural dwellers because of lack of dissemination of information which is as a resulting of the above mention ‘infrastructures’; the means are not there to reach them to take cognizant of malnutrition. And due to this, most are naive of nutrition despite the natural food at their disposal. The principle of dissemination of information which involve infrastructural development needs to be enhance. This will involve both the state actors and non-state actors, which the civil society organizations, private sector, NGOs and others would be a major players of. Dissemination will involved them and bring them to the known, where well-nourished society will evolves in the rural-urban dwellers. Advocacy for urbanization can’t cover rural dwellers nor development or strengthen food security in a nation. It most be joint effort to meet this demand of humans. Knowledge most be strengthened, production mechanism most be upgraded which involves skills enhancement. Research and programmes most be implemented for continuity and sustainability. Enlightening the rural dwellers about their health and food intake most be a priority to the global south. This will bring about good food diet that nourishes the body system for sustainability.
Ultimately, achieving these two glaring issues in the global south food system, these principles have to be considered and taken seriously, the infrastructural development of the rural areas that meet and commensurate with the production mechanism of farmers and policy makers and advocacy.
Secondly, the dissemination of information and advocacy on food nutrition should be made available door to door that centred on rural areas through programmes that will up-scale well nourished society.
Finally, this call is mainly on rural areas strengthening rather than urban areas, due to the level of drifting from rural to urban areas due to infrastructures. This is also applicable to the global north. The input should be centred on the rural areas more than urban to achieve the desire goals and objectives of the food system and SDG. This is sure and affordable way to reduce and minimize rural-urban drift that affects food production and security especially in the global south and have more productions to meet for human consumption.
Thank you.
Esosa.
Sr. Esosa Orhue