Climate change a threat to food security: Chitsiko
CLIMATE change has become one of the biggest constraints to achieving food and nutrition security, a Government official has said.
Speaking at the 11th meeting of FAO subregional office for Southern Africa multidisciplinary team in Harare last week, Permanent Secretary for Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Mr Ringson Chitsiko said climate change had resulted in Southern Africa facing several episodes of droughts.
“In Southern Africa region, the manifestation of climate change has resulted in erratic spatial and temporal rainfall patterns,” he said.
“High climate variability has become one of the biggest constraints to achieving food and nutrition security.
“Countries in the region need to strengthen their general capacities to deal with stresses and weather shocks in line with general agriculture development priorities.”
Mr Chitsiko said there was need for more agricultural research in order to grow and develop as a region.
“Rapid population growth is projected to affect the region’s agricultural sectors, thus putting pressure on food systems to feed its fast growing cities,” he said.
“The region will have to support economic growth by promoting sound macro-economic policies that reduce barriers to intra-regional trade in food and other agricultural commodities.
“There is need to sharpen the focus on agricultural research, thereby fostering improvements for agricultural growth and development.”
FAO sub-regional coordinator for Southern Africa Dr David Phiri said natural disasters in Southern Africa were increasing and needed a quick response and heightened preparedness.
“Disasters are becoming more frequent and severe in intensity,” he said.
“The region is experiencing floods or droughts every two to three years and this meeting will address how best we can counter these.”
Twelve out of 16 permanent secretaries of agriculture from SADC attended the meeting, discussing emerging threats and challenges affecting agricultural development in the region.
The next regional conference will be held in Khartoum, Sudan in February next year.