African countries urged to speed up efforts in enhancing agricultural development

African Union Commissioner Urges More Efforts to Address Food-Related Challenges

ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) — African countries have made tangible progress in enhancing agricultural productivity, promoting sustainable farming practices, and addressing food security and rural poverty, but more efforts are needed to mitigate food-related challenges, African Union (AU) Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture Josefa Sacko said.

Positive Impacts of Sustainable Farming Practices

“Through initiatives such as the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP), investment in agricultural infrastructure, and the promotion of sustainable farming practices, we have seen positive impacts on the lives of millions of smallholder farmers and rural households across the continent,” Sacko told a meeting of agricultural ministers Friday at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Challenges in Fulfilling CAADP Commitments

He cautioned that the countries are lagging behind in fulfilling the seven broad commitments of the CAADP, a flagship program aimed to enhance agricultural development on the African continent.

1. African countries passed the Malabo Declaration in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea in June 2014, committing themselves to upholding the CAADP principles and values.
2. Enhancing investment in agriculture.
3. Ending hunger and halving poverty by 2025.
4. Boosting intra-African agricultural trade.
5. Enhancing resilience to climate variability, among others, as means to implement the CAADP.

“Two years remaining before the Malabo Declaration period lapses, there is urgency for member states to accelerate CAADP implementation, including through the provision of the financing required to achieve the aspirations of CAADP in order to build a resilient African food system,” the commissioner said.

Factors Contributing to Food Insecurity

“Lack of investment, internal disputes and war, and external factors including climate change are some of the factors contributing to prevailing food insecurity and malnutrition in Africa,” the commissioner said in an interview with Xinhua.

Continued Efforts to Mitigate Food Security Challenges

“The AU needs to continue working with member states and regional economic communities to mitigate the food security challenges in Africa,” he said. ■

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger
• SDG 1: No Poverty
• SDG 13: Climate Action

The article discusses the progress made in enhancing agricultural productivity, promoting sustainable farming practices, and addressing food security and rural poverty. These issues are directly connected to SDG 2: Zero Hunger, which aims to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. Additionally, the mention of poverty reduction and the need to enhance resilience to climate variability align with SDG 1: No Poverty and SDG 13: Climate Action, respectively.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 2.3: By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists, and fishers.
2. Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, and other disasters, and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
3. Target 1.1: By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day.
4. Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.

The article highlights the need to enhance agricultural productivity and incomes of smallholder farmers, which aligns with Target 2.3. It also emphasizes the importance of implementing sustainable farming practices and building resilience to climate variability, which correspond to Target 2.4 and Target 13.1, respectively. Additionally, the mention of addressing rural poverty relates to Target 1.1.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 2.3.1: Volume of production per labor unit by classes of farming/pastoral/forestry enterprise size.
• Indicator 2.4.1: Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture.
• Indicator 1.1.1: Proportion of population below the international poverty line, by sex, age, employment status, and geographical location.
• Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.

The article does not explicitly mention indicators, but based on the identified targets, the following indicators can be used to measure progress:
– Indicator 2.3.1 can measure the increase in agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers.
– Indicator 2.4.1 can assess the proportion of agricultural area under sustainable agriculture practices.
– Indicator 1.1.1 can track the reduction in the proportion of the population living below the international poverty line.
– Indicator 13.1.1 can monitor the impact of climate-related hazards and natural disasters on the population.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: english.news.cn

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