The theme for the Regional Policy Dialogue taking place in Mozambique is exploring the theme ‘Transforming Africa’s Agriculture’. Many organizations have endeavored to translate this theme accordingly.
CCARDESA’s Acting Executive Secretary, Dr. Simon Mwale highlighted his understanding of the theme and what it would take to transform Africa’s agriculture during a plenary session at the Regional Policy Dialogue.
Dr. Mwale intimated that embracing the opportunities presented by Public Private Partnerships will be key to increasing support to small holder farmers, so that they are empowered to produce food on a large scale to feed their countries and this entailed taking strides towards transforming Africa’s agriculture.
Addressing agricultural challenges such as climate change, crop diseases and the dearth of agricultural information at regional level must be addressed, so that uniform strategies are designed which address the needs of the continent. Transforming agriculture in isolation of other countries will not work in the future – regional linkages are key!
He also highlighted the importance of countries or Governments’ in adhering to the policies that they formulate. He mentioned that it will not help Africa to continue formulating policies and not implementing them and called for a recommitment of countries to follow their own policies to transform African agriculture.
Dr Mwale also stressed the need to engage youth in agriculture, who make up 80% of the population in Africa, and women, who have from time immemorial been at the helm of food provision through various agricultural activities. Both of these groups need to be empowered to take up and use modern faming technologies as well as access financial capital to ease the burdens they face.
Dr. Mwale went on to highlight that a modern agriculture sector is one that is progressive. Noticeable increase in productivity should become evident over time. It should not dwindle or be static for a long time. African nations should strive to produce enough to sufficiently feed their citizenry before exporting to other nations. This would show strides towards transforming Africa’s agriculture.
Dr. Mwale went on to mention that to transform Africa’s agricultural conditions, new commitments from communities, donors, stakeholders, governments and regional bodies are necessary to break the business-as-usual model that is now widely engrained in African agricultural systems.
Finally, Dr Mwale urged the participants on the need to change the focus of regional meetings, he called for a paradigm shift from concentrating on the challenges to problem-solving so that at the end of each meeting people go back to their respective countries with ideas for solutions.
CCARDESSA is optimistic that the Regional Policy Dialogue will bear fruit towards transformation of Africa’s agriculture.
For more information and comments, contact the following:
The Executive Director
Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA)
Ground Floor, Red Brick Building,
Plot 4701 Station Exit Road
Private Bag 00357
Gaborone, Botswana
+267 3914997 Ext 211
smwale@ccardesa.org and cc: bpodisi@ccardesa.org
“A food secure and prosperous Southern African region with vibrant rural livelihoods.”
