Eswatini to alleviate hunger by 2025
ESWATINI is among the leading African countries working hard to eradicate hunger by the year 2025.
This was revealed during the ongoing knowledge management and Monitoring of the Malabo Commitments Training Workshop, organised and funded by the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA) under the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) XP4.
Ministry of Agriculture Principal Secretary (PS) Sydney Simelane revealed that ending hunger by 2025 was a pledge they made as a member state.
Nutrition
“We pledged to eradicate hunger and reduce stunting in children to 10 per cent or less by 2025 through increased agricultural productivity and improved nutrition,” said the PS. He further mentioned boosting intraAfrican trade in agricultural commodities where member states committed to doubling agricultural trade by 2025 through promoting regional trade agreements, reducing trade barriers, and enhancing market access for agricultural products.
Meanwhile, Bridget Kakuwa from CCARDESA said enhancing resilience to climate variability was paramount as Member states agreed to implement climate-smart agriculture practices to build resilience to climate change, reduce vulnerability, and enhance adaptation in the agricultural sector.
“Strengthening agricultural research and innovation is also important as it increases investment in agricultural research and innovation to drive productivity, sustainability, and competitiveness in the agricultural sector,”
Overall, the Malabo Commitments represent a collective effort by African countries to transform their agricultural sectors, improve food security, and promote sustainable development on the continent.
Monitoring and reporting on these commitments are essential for tracking progress, identifying challenges, and fostering accountability. Strengthening our monitoring and reporting capabilities is key to evaluating the effectiveness of our policies and interventions, and accelerating progress towards realising the Malabo goals.
The Malabo Commitments, established by the African Union member states in 2014, outline a strategic framework for transforming agriculture and ensuring food security on the continent.
The aim is to accelerate agricultural growth and transformation in Africa. The commitments focus on key areas essential for achieving food security, reducing poverty, and promoting sustainable development on the continent.