SADC urged to match food production, population growth

Agriculture ministers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have called on the member countries of the regional group to match food production and population growth.

Zambian agriculture minister Ben Kapita said that the region will continue to look to other countries for food imports if it fails to match population growth with agriculture output. He minister said although the region has enjoyed more than 20 years of regional cooperation, it has not yet attained satisfactory levels of food security and economic development.

The region is currently faced with the challenges of increasing agricultural financing and investment, enhancing production and productivity in crops, livestock and fisheries and strengthening disaster preparedness. It also faces the challenge of improving access to agricultural productive land and other key inputs such as seed and fertilizers.

SADC deputy executive secretary Joao Caholo said with 70 percent of the estimated 240 million people depending on agriculture, there is need to put in place goods management polices aimed at driving the region out of hunger and poverty. "There is need for intensification and use of production enhancing and research proven technologies to meet the demands of the increasing
population and the resultant rise in demand for goods and services," he said. Caholo also noted the region's food security was not encouraging as some countries experienced drought in the last farming season.

The region has a cereal deficit of 4.35 million tons in 2007/ 2008 as compared to 2.18 million tons recorded in 2006/2007 farming season, according to him.

People's Daily