Africa-Press – Mauritius. The new World Food Programme’s (WFP) Regional Director for Southern Africa, Dr Manghestab Haile, paid a courtesy call on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Executive Secretary, Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax, on 23 July 2021.
During the meeting, SADC and WFP reaffirmed their commitment towards strengthening proactive and functional early warning systems to improve food and nutrition security and combatting hunger in the region.
Both parties acknowledged that early warning is an effective tool to reduce vulnerabilities, and improve preparedness and response to natural hazards that continue to cause destruction to property and loss of life in the SADC region.
Dr Tax highlighted that most of the SADC citizens depend on agriculture for their livelihoods adding that an effective early warning system is critical to help farmers take appropriate actions as well as mobilise resources to mitigate the impacts in the wake of a disaster.
Ensuring food security in the region, she pointed out, is one of the priorities envisioned in the SADC Vision 2050 so as to be inclusive, competitive, and sustainable. She called on Member States for their continuous support in implementing activities and develop priorities outlined in the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030 and other instruments.
As for Dr Haile, he underscored that the WFP plans to support the work of SADC Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Centre (SHOC), by assisting in the coordination of support to disaster preparedness, response and recovery in SADC Member States.
He reiterated WFP’s commitment in helping SADC to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals 2 and 7, to combat hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, promote sustainable agriculture, strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development.
It is recalled that SADC and the WFP signed a Memorandum of Understanding in June 2019 to provide for effective collaboration on food and nutritional security in the region.
