African leaders should concentrate on making sure the continent is food secure since it has capacity to do so and cannot continue to rely on the international community, President Mnangagwa said here yesterday.
The world is currently grappling with food challenges in the form of either critical shortages or rising prices.
And Africa has not been spared in bearing the brunt of food shortages and price increases.
Zimbabwe, for example, according to ZimStat saw its food inflation for May (year on year) rise to 150 percent as prices continue to increase beyond the reach of many on the back of many endogenous and exogenous factors.
The upward trend in prices is partly blamed on what is happening globally, where climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic, and recently the conflict in Ukraine have resulted in serious disruption in food production and supplies.
And to deal with such challenges, President Mnangagwa called on African leaders to increase effort in making sure that the continent is food secure.
Giving his remarks during a strategy session which examined “The Role of Africa in a Changing Global Order,” President Mnangagwa said Africa has good arable land and should make use of it and be food secure.
“We have good land, arable land, and it is important for the current crop of African leaders to make sure the continent is food secure.”
He said the continent cannot remain food insecure and continue to import supplies.
“We have the capacity as a continent to produce those things and all we need is to mechanise and industrialise our agriculture sector.”
President Mnangagwa said in order to be food secure, there is need to apply home grown technologies or acquire from countries that are technologically advanced.
In all this, Africa also has to work together and help each other achieve.
“We are stronger when we integrate and share what each one has,” he said.
Malawian President, Lazarus Chakwera, shared the same sentiments saying Africa must “leverage” on its assets than “lament” its liabilities.
