18 Oct 2020

The agriculture sector has been challenged to solve undernourishment as evidenced by the emerging increase of the phenomenon, the Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Mr Karabo Gare has said.

In his speech to mark World Food Day Commemoration on Friday, Mr Gare said in Botswana undernourishment was at 47.7 per cent while the household food insecurity level stood at 38.9 per cent.

“These staggering figures tell a story about our situation, and also have major implications on the health of the people and for the country’s food systems,” he said.

He said despite a steady reduction of global undernourishment over the years, millions of households were food insecure since people could not afford a healthy diet.

Minister Gare emphasised the need to care for food production workers and natural resources to ensure sustainability under the ever-changing conditions.

The commemoration marked the 75th World Food Day.

He said the day served as a reminder for all to play a role in creating healthier, more sustainable and resilient food systems that could withstand increasing volatility and climate shocks.  

He said there was need for collective action from all stakeholders along the agri-food value chain and for innovative solutions based on scientific evidence to build better food systems.  

 “Globally, agriculture continues to be out of balance and this imbalance is caused by issues such as climate change, environmental degradation, loss of agro-biological diversity and food loss and waste,” said Mr Gare.  

He said the need for World Food Day commemoration was more important this year because of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Already, nearly 900 million people are hungry globally, and the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that the COVID-19 pandemic could add an extra 83 to 132 million more people to this number depending on the economic growth scenario,” he said.

Minister Gare said it was clear that COVID-19 had placed the world’s food insecurity in the spotlight. He advised that as countries slowly embark on post-COVID-19 recovery plans, they must fiercely guard against a hunger pandemic.

“As rebuilding efforts continue, it is important that plans are grounded in improving productivity; access and availability to safe and nutritious food; climate proofing the sector as well as preventing food wastage,” he said.

He said emphasis must be put on efforts to help ensure that food systems grow a variety of food adding that the move required concerted efforts of governments, the private sector and individual citizens.   

Although the outbreak Coronavirus had negative implications such as lockdowns, Mr Gare said there was a positive side, especially to the agricultural sector.  

“It is pleasing to note that during COVID-19 lockdowns, many took up the opportunity of growing some crop in their backyards and the process as a whole has sparked renewed and the much-needed interest in the horticultural sub-sector,” Minister Gare said. ENDS