The Deputy Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises, Maureen Hinda-Mbuende, emphasised the crucial role of agriculture in ensuring food sustainability, not only in Africa but also globally.

Speaking during the opening of the SADC Development Finance Institutions Chief Executive Officers Forum in Swakopmund, Hinda-Mbuende also stressed the need for cooperation among SADC countries to promote sustainable agricultural practises and enhance food production in the region.

The African Union has established an ambitious goal to eradicate hunger and achieve food security by the year 2025.

This target has been reiterated through initiatives such as Agenda 2063 and the AU Summit decision on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation.

In light of these circumstances, Deputy Minister Hinda-Mbuende highlights the immense potential of agriculture in Africa to address a multitude of pressing challenges. 

She emphasised that agriculture holds the key to resolving critical issues, including land reform, food security, job creation, and climate change management.

Hinda-Mbuende underscores the pivotal role of agriculture in Africa, particularly in the current context.

In the wake of recent crises, countries are increasingly recognising the significance of prioritising food sovereignty, which relies on the contributions of small-scale farmers to ensure food security.

Sustainable, local agriculture and food production enable poor rural people to earn an income and build resilience against shocks.

In the last 100 years, Africa has recorded 300 more severe droughts than any other continent.

And this figure will only increase with climate change. As hundreds of millions of people already depend on degraded lands, increased drought will inevitably increase food insecurity, migration, and conflict.