Online Reporter
Theseus Mauruki Shambare in VICTORIA FALLS
MINISTER of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development, Dr Anxious Masuka, has arrived in Victoria Falls ahead of a high-level Southern African Development Community (SADC) ministerial meeting focused on food security, climate resilience and agricultural transformation.
Dr Masuka is among ministers from across the region attending the SADC Joint Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Agriculture, Food Security, Fisheries and Aquaculture, which is set to take place in Victoria Falls tomorrow.
The ministerial gathering follows a two-day meeting of senior officials who raised concern over rising food insecurity across the region, where about 58 million people are reportedly facing food shortages due to climate shocks, livestock diseases and global supply chain disruptions.
The high-level meeting is expected to review regional progress on food and nutrition security and consider policy interventions aimed at strengthening agricultural production systems across Member States.
According to the programme, ministers will receive updates on the 2025/26 agricultural season performance, including rainfall patterns, production outcomes and the outlook for the 2026/27 season.
The meeting will also deliberate on regional strategies aimed at accelerating transformation of food systems, strengthening resilience and harnessing the blue economy, in line with SADC’s long-term development priorities.
Key agenda items include progress reports on the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), the SADC Regional Agricultural Policy (STOSAR II), and efforts to promote youth participation in agribusiness across the region.
Ministers are also expected to consider updates on harmonisation of fertiliser regulations, seed systems development and plant health frameworks, as Member States push for improved agricultural productivity and trade integration.
The agenda further includes updates on the SADC Rice Development Strategy and regional crop development programmes aimed at improving food availability and reducing import dependence.
Livestock health is also expected to feature prominently, with ministers reviewing the regional Foot and Mouth Disease situation following earlier calls for coordinated cross-border surveillance, vaccination strategies and strengthened animal health systems.
Fisheries and aquaculture development will also form part of the discussions, with a focus on strengthening governance systems and expanding the blue economy as a key pillar of regional food security.
The outcomes of the meeting are expected to feed into SADC Council of Ministers deliberations and inform broader regional frameworks aimed at strengthening resilience, improving food systems and supporting long-term agricultural transformation across Southern Africa.
