Ruto to Africa: Let's build resilient food systems to end hunger

President William Ruto has stressed the need for African countries to collaborate in creating resilient food systems as part of ongoing efforts to end hunger across the continent.

Ruto acknowledged that millions of people across the mineral-rich continent are not food secure, highlighting the urgent need for countries to invest in infrastructure, innovation and technology to overcome the challenges.

The objective, he said, is to ensure access to nutritious food, promote sustainable practices that safeguard the planet's future and position agriculture as a driver of jobs and prosperity.

“To reap the benefits of food systems transformation, it is critical that we implement a common strategy as a collective obligation. We must pursue collaboration across sectors, borders and regions,” he said.

This, the President noted, is the surest path to uplifting livelihoods, safeguarding the environment and fulfilling the fundamental obligation to feed Africa.

Ruto made the remarks during the African Union Extraordinary Summit on Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme in Kampala, Uganda.

Ruto also urged international partners to align their support with Africa’s transformative agenda of ensuring resources reach the areas of greatest need and impact.

Agriculture systems, Ruto stated, remain key enablers of food and nutrition security, industrialisation, intra-African trade and investment, research and technological maturity, export competitiveness, mass employment and wealth creation.

“Africa is at a crossroads where food systems struggle to achieve sustainability and adequate capacity in the face of unprecedented and relentless challenges,” he said.

Ruto said the challenges range from the existential threat of climate change and environmental degradation to the demographic pressures of rapid population growth and urbanisation.

In his commitment to the continent’s agricultural future, Ruto pledged that Kenya would adopt the Kampala Declaration, which was endorsed during the summit to replace the Malabo Agenda of action.

Ruto also used the opportunity to outline the interventions they have put in place to ensure the country to achieve food security.

He said they are now focused on increasing production and productivity, reducing imports, minimising post-harvest losses, providing warehousing support and enhancing export manufacturing in key agricultural value chains.

“Kenya’s implementation framework involves formulating a national food systems transformation pathway with five action track,” he explained