Patrick Kormawa meeting the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Honourable Sibusiso Moyo

The new FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa (SFS), Patrick Kormawa, presented his credentials to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Honourable Sibusiso Moyo, officially marking his tenure in the region.

Kormawa, who until end of April, was heading the East African Region (SFE) as well as being FAO Representative to Africa Union and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) took over from David Phiri with whom he swapped positions.

Speaking at the presentation of his credentials, Kormawa reiterated FAO’s role in ensuring food and nutrition security in Zimbabwe.

“We are at the service of the Government of Zimbabwe and will play our role to ensure that there is increased productivity in the agriculture sector in the country. We will work together with the government to make sure that this will happen,” said Kormawa to the minister.

Kormawa added that he would want to regularly meet senior government officials from the ministry as well as those from the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Rural Resettlement and discuss issues related to agriculture.

The minister, while accepting the credentials acknowledged FAO’s role in the agriculture sector in Zimbabwe adding that the organisation was critical as the country was working towards reclaiming its bread-basket status.

Minister Moyo added that focus was on increasing productivity within the agriculture sector as a way of boosting the economy. The agriculture sector, Minister Moyo added, was important as it provided most of the raw materials used in local industries. As such, increased productivity in the agriculture sector will positively influence the manufacturing industry in the country.

SFS is the second region that Kormawa has headed after joining FAO to lead the SFE region in May 2015. Prior to joining FAO, Kormawa held senior leadership positions in international agricultural research institutions. He was Economist and Coordinator, Rural Sector Enhancement Programme at the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan (1999-2004); Principal Policy Economist and Coordinator of the West Africa Rice Economics Task Force at the West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA) (2004-2005); and then Assistant Director of Research at WARDA (2005-2007).

Kormawa joined the UN System in 2007 as Senior Adviser to the Director-General and Coordinator of the International Financial Institutions Partnerships Unit, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and in 2011 he became Head of the Agribusiness Unit at UNIDO headquarters, Vienna, Austria. From 2011 to April 2015, he served as UNIDO Representative to Nigeria, to the Economic Commission for West African States and as Director, Regional Office, Abuja, Nigeria.