Qu Dongyu, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), highlighted a pressing issue in his opening speech at the 33rd session of the FAO Regional Conference for Africa, hosted in Rabat, Morocco.
He reported that over a billion people across Africa, out of approximately 1.5 billion, do not have access to healthy diets.
This alarming statistic was shared during the three-day conference which gathered delegates from all over Africa, including ministers of agriculture and officials responsible for transforming food systems, finance, trade, industry, forestry, fisheries, environment, science, technology, and health.
Qu’s statements revisited the 2014 Malabo Declaration on accelerated agricultural growth and transformation for shared prosperity and improved livelihoods, where African leaders pledged to eradicate hunger.
Yet, a decade later, the rates of hunger are still rising. “More than a billion people on the African continent do not have access to healthy dietary patterns,” Qu noted, citing challenges yet maintaining an optimistic outlook on the potential for change.
Africa is blessed with significant natural resources and has the largest cultivable land area compared to other continents, presenting exceptional potential, according to Qu.
He emphasized the role of political will and international partnerships in shaping Africa’s future.
The conference represents a significant opportunity for African nations to discuss practical solutions for food security and to enhance agricultural production. This aligns with FAO’s mission to improve life and eliminate hunger by boosting agricultural efficiency and sustainability globally.
