FAO endorses food self-sufficiency drive

Mukudzei Chingwere

Herald Reporter

Zimbabwe’s march towards food self-sufficiency under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) was endorsed by the Sub-regional Coordinator for Southern Africa of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Dr Patrice Takoukam, when he paid a courtesy call on Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Ambassador Frederick Shava.

Dr Takoukam said FAO was working with Zimbabwe and was committed to ensuring the country achieves its quest to become food self-sufficient as demanded by President Mnangagwa.

Asked if Zimbabwe was on track to attain targets in the various national blueprints, Dr Takoukam said: “Absolutely.”

He agreed with the national policy that along with ensuring the availability of food, there was need for agriculture to be taken as a business with proceeds taken to the development of other sectors key to the economy.

“The farmers are key stakeholders and we are supporting them. At the same time, we want them to understand that agriculture is also business. We are ready to support agriculture, to go beyond crops, and also cover fisheries, the livestock sector and forestry,” he said.

Dr Takoukam said the purpose of his visit was to discuss on the continued collaboration of FAO and the Government.

“We presented to the Minister the priorities that we will be working on for the next five years in the framework of the country programme and framework. The programme is a joint document prepared by FAO and also the relevant ministries.

“The country programme and framework is aligned to the NDS1 and specifically to the priorities of the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Environment in the context of NDS1. It is also aligned to the United Nations strategic development framework which was recently signed by the Government and the UN,” said Dr Takoukam.