March 4, 2025 (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) – The Intergovernmental Authority on Growth (IGAD), in partnership with the African Union Fee (AUC) and the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Analysis and Growth for Southern Africa (CCARDESA), with help from the World Financial institution, has launched a three-day Excessive-Degree Studying Occasion for the Meals Techniques Resilience Programme (FSRP) for Jap and Southern Africa. Themed “Empowering African Meals Techniques with Digital Applied sciences: Challenges and Alternatives” and “Strengthening Commerce Integration: Leveraging Commerce Scorecards and Addressing SPS Implications in Agriculture,” the occasion supplies a key platform for regional collaboration and knowledge-sharing.
Meals insecurity in Africa is pushed by local weather change, land degradation, post-harvest losses, and conflict-related fragility, challenges that require regional cooperation. IGAD and its companions are fostering dialogue amongst key stakeholders to share finest practices and options for strengthening meals safety. The occasion convenes agriculture specialists, early warning specialists, nationwide meals techniques leaders, and growth companions from throughout Africa.
The occasion explores how digital instruments, akin to precision agriculture, real-time local weather knowledge, and AI, can improve productiveness, cut back losses, and enhance market entry. Discussions spotlight challenges like digital infrastructure gaps, capability constructing, and coverage help for scaling up know-how adoption. IGAD continues to champion agricultural innovation to spice up meals safety within the area.
Commerce is essential in stabilising meals provide and costs. The occasion examines commerce scorecards and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures to take away limitations to agricultural market integration. IGAD is driving coverage harmonisation and compliance with worldwide meals security requirements to facilitate seamless cross-border commerce and market growth.
By way of regional collaboration, coverage alignment, and commerce integration, IGAD, AU, CCARDESA, and the World Financial institution are working in the direction of a resilient and food-secure future for Jap and Southern Africa. The occasion’s outcomes will form methods to boost agricultural sustainability, local weather resilience, and inclusive financial development. IGAD stays dedicated to reworking meals techniques by way of innovation, commerce, and coverage reform to fight starvation and malnutrition throughout the area.
Quotes:
“The Meals Techniques Resilience Program in Africa stands out as a novel and transformative initiative—applied throughout continental, regional, and nationwide ranges, it fosters collaboration and deepens regional integration. This high-level studying occasion supplies a useful platform for our regional and nationwide companions to align priorities with their friends throughout the borders, strengthen cooperation, and form responsive insurance policies that deal with the crucial limitations to resilient and sustainable meals techniques.” – Mr. Abebaw Bihonegn IGAD Head of Mission to Ethiopia
“World Financial institution help to the FSRP is a part of a longstanding partnership with the continent to boost meals safety, sustainable panorama administration, water sources growth, rangelands administration, resilient livelihoods, and broader local weather motion.” – Juliana Victor, World Financial institution Operations Supervisor
“At the moment’s occasion is essential for FSRP implementing nations and sub-regional our bodies, because it supplies a strategic platform to share data, trade concepts, and achieve a deeper understanding of the complete programme. Additionally it is a chance to make clear our roles and strengthen collaboration to enhance meals techniques resilience throughout the continent.” – Prof. Lala Aimé Razafinjara, CCARDESA Board Chairperson
