FOOD SECUIRTY: A PRIORITY FOR DEVELOPMENT

As the world population reached 700 billion a month ago, governments around the world have considered food a priority for development; thus, they are rocking the boat of how to create a food self-sufficient country. From Kampala to Banjul, the trend is the same: governments are investing millions of Dollars into agricultural productivity.

However, governments cannot not do it alone, this is why the African Network on the Right to Food (ANoRF) -- a pan-African network that is promoting the right to food of good quality in Africa – garnered civil society actors in Banjul, under the theme: Vision and Mechanisms of Networking; Impact on the effectiveness of the right to Food in Africa”, to discuss the trends and synergies of networking to ensure food security in the continent.

FOOD SECURITY: A CAUSE FOR ALARM
ANoRF was formed in 2008 in Cotonou, Benin – where it got the name Reseau Africain Pour Le Droit A L’alimentation (RAPDA) -- and since then the Network has weathered so many storms through the efforts of men and women determined to make African governments to define policies leading to a real food security in their respective countries, Huguette Akplogan-Dossa, regional coordinator of the Network said.

She went on: “The right to food self-sufficiency is part and parcel of human rights, with a political, ethical and social dimension and is considered a priority for development,” adding that to realize of this priority, all stakeholders particularly civil society organizations (non-trading company) need to master networking skills.

She also urged all activists of the right to food in every coalition to mobilise each other for the adoption of the resolutions to stem the tide of hunger in Africa in accordance with the noble mission to fight for effectiveness of the right to food in the continent.

For RAPDA Gambia chapter, the conclave could not have come a better time than now, when policies and strategies to curtail the situation of food insecurity become paramount.
Its coordinator Albert Cox said RAPDA Gambia would continue to work tirelessly for the fulfilment of the aspirations of the people whom they serve and represent in the areas of food security and the right to quality food.

“We remain committed to ensuring that the people of the Gambia and other parts of Africa are empowered to fully participate in the restoration and exploitation of the countries’ natural resources as part of the fulfilment of their right to food – especially quality and affordable food,” he noted.