G8 ministers get it right on global food security

MOVES by the G8 agriculture ministers to put farming and food security at the heart of the international agenda during their first summit in Treviso, Italy, are to be welcomed.

The recognition by world powers of the need for short, mid- and long-term measures to tackle food insecurity and poverty in the aftermath of last year’s global food security crisis and consequent price hikes is an encouraging step in the right direction for the world’s poor.

Although the global economic downturn has caused international prices of agricultural commodities to fall dramatically since last summer, prices are still well above previous lows in many countries and the stark reality is that the numbers who are poor and hungry has increased in the past year.

Self Help Africa agrees with G8 ministers that there is an urgent need to help developing countries and countries in transition to expand agriculture and food production and to increase investments in agriculture, agri-business and rural development.

We believe that more must be done to increase the quantity and enhance the quality of agricultural production and enable all citizens to have economic and physical access to safe and nutritious food.

Increased investment in sustainable agriculture, rural development and environmental rehabilitation is vital to the rural poor of Africa where upwards of 80% of people rely on farm production for their daily survival.

To achieve this it is critical that the G8 and other world bodies take the lead by adopting sound agricultural policies and strategies to underpin the investments in farming at national, regional and global level.

The 2000 Millennium Goals aim to halve the proportion of the world population facing poverty and undernourishment by 2015 — an objective that was reaffirmed by Ireland’s Hunger Taskforce report published last year. Recent cuts of more than 20% in our overseas aid budget will make it more difficult for Ireland to fulfil the objectives set down by the hunger taskforce.

However, the cuts do emphasise the importance of the work of shifting the global focus back to food production — and finding a long-term and lasting solution to hunger and poverty in Africa.

For the past 25 years Self Help Africa has been involved in implementing successful agriculture and rural development programmes in Africa and is heartened by G8 countries support for this development approach.

Ray Jordan

Chief Executive

Self Help Africa

Annefield House

Portlaoise

Co Laois