A regional integration strategy is key to Africa’s prosperity and development. This can not be left out in the planned efforts to secure food self-sufficiency for the continent. It presents a very clear vision with a definite mission, and is designed to be executed on a well planned roadmap, deep-rooted, coordinated and collective efforts of robust agricultural schemes of the entire 54 nations.
This is for the assured accomplishment of targeted outcomes, on goals and objectives. The regional aspect in this context focuses on food security that is void of scarcity and its probable crisis on affected or concerned victims. It therefore demands the concerted efforts of all stakeholders committed to tackling a common issue of interest, for mutual benefit. A syndicated socioeconomic effort exists cutting across some of the continent’s regional economic communities namely; Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), East African Community (EAC), Southern African Development Community (SADC), Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD) and Arab Maghreb Union (UMA); among others. It is through these regional blocs that the agricultural sector would drive a formidable, result-oriented agricultural programme to actualize sustainable food security for Africa.
Hunger on its own is synonymous with poverty, a socioeconomic stigma the continent has been plagued by for a long time. Hunger is a painful challenge faced by humanity which solutions are continuously sought to extricate the vulnerable. Man has three basic physiological needs which, according to Maslow’s theory, are the fundamental biological requirements for survival – food, shelter and clothing. Food is particularly likened to “petrol” or fuel that powers automotive engines with the energy to drive. Food is fundamentally the fuel that supplies “energy” to man to walk and work. Energy, technically defined as “the ability to do work”, classically propels man to function — that is to breathe, to talk, to exercise, to do every imaginable thing that involves movement of matter. Without food available for man to eat and have strength, it will be difficult to achieve any meaningful socioeconomic tasks in the society.
Africa is a continent with a very promising future and great potential to become self-sufficient in food production. This is based on available historical agricultural records (in facts and figures) from various past agricultural extension works and programmes; and the numerous agriculture departments of existing regional economic communities. These regional economic communities hold the hope for collective collaboration to latch on to the economic principle of comparative advantage for the pool of agricultural crops/produce from small holder farmers and large-scale professional agribusinesses in the continent.
However, the poverty profiles of the 54 African nations that are stigmatized as underdeveloped, third world poor countries (economically), impact negatively as they lack financial capacity to adequately fund agriculture projects individually. Their status, however, demands regional unification to strategically look inwards and boost agricultural trade in Africa, without external interventions. Such a strategic move will definitely boost self-sufficiency in agricultural produce and will further position the continent as the next international agriculture hub in actualizing sustainable food security.
The continent’s geographical location is predominantly tropical, spreading the continent between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, with year-round high temperatures and pronounced wet and dry seasons characterized by diverse ecosystems, featuring a rich biodiversity that acts as a major global carbon sink. However, desert encroachment in most parts of the continent as a result of climate change, is an environmental challenge that is currently linked to the impact of global warming; which adversely affects agricultural yields in the continent.
Africa’s arable farmland, which is about 40 percent of the entire land area, is grossly underutilized — partly due to poor project funding, and also due to inadequate provision of modern farming technology. This is part of the weak wings that affect the seamless operation of agric projects that should stem food insecurity within the continent.
However, the operators need to take the bull by the horns and think out of the box to realise the goal of sustainable food security for Africa, through a unified continental strategy by the various regional economic communities. This is to surmount the present food poverty issue, and the associated impact on vulnerable Africans and the entire citizenry. Africans should join hands and partner to massively grow crops for the bountiful provision of foods through all levels of farming projects. It is envisaged that this would aid the actualisation of sustainable food security with food sufficiency for the continent.
When applause travels faster than hunger