AUC lauds Ghana for her contribution towards reducing hunger

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission Dr Nkonsana Dlamini –Zuma has praised Ghana for her effort in the development of the Agricultural sector and helping to reduce poverty in the country.

According to her, the implementation of the school feeding programme by Ghana with locally produced food thus increasing enrollment in school and other related social interventions have largely contributed to Ghana's effort in cutting hunger level by 75% between 1990 and 2004.

Dr Nkonsana Dlamini –Zuma made the observation at the high level meeting on “Renewed Partnership for United Approach to End Hunger in Africa which is ongoing in the Ethiopian Capital, Addis Ababa.

She observed that “Hunger is not just an issue of production and availability of food. It is also an issue of distribution, storage, processing, access, affordability and quality," a situation she noted is linked to public health and human resources development.

The Africa Union Commission Chair said that nearly a quarter of the Population of Africa live in hunger with the number of under nourished people inching close to 240 million. He added that 40% of the mal-nourished persons are children under five years of age.

The Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Jose Graziano Da Silva also lauded Ghana for working towards eradicating Hunger and improving on the living standards of the people.

He said Ghana, together other member states, have already met the internationally established hunger reduction targets set for 2015.

He disclosed that the FAO recognized 38 countries globally, 11 of which are African countries, which have achieved a lot in the fight against hunger.

Jose Graziano Da Silva also pointed out that Algeria, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria and Togo have already met the First Millennium Development Goal hunger target to reduce by half the proportion of hungry people since 1990.

According to him, Ghana, Djibouti and Sao Tome and Principe have also met the World Food Summit Goal to reduce by half the total number of hungry population in their respective countries.

Ghana's Minister for Agriculture, Clement Kofi Humado and Former President J A Kufuor both expressed joy at the revelation of Ghana's performance in the Agricultural Sector in an interview with Myjoyonline at the High Level Meeting to End Hunger in Addis Ababa.

According to Humado, the successes chalked by the country in the fight against Hunger and reducing poverty is as a result of what he described as consistency in policy direction and implementation by successive governments.

He mentioned Former President Rawlings, Former President Kufuor, The Late JEA Mills and the current administration Under President Mahama for their efforts at tackling agriculture, food insecurity and nutrition.

The Agriculture Minister however indicated that though Ghana has improved in addressing Hunger there are still people who seriously fall within the hunger bracket, hence the need to bring stakeholders together and design effective and efficient programme for the rural poor.

On his part, former President Kufuor urged member states not to abandon various policies and measures that they already have in existence but workout efficient programmes through integration to eradicate the hunger totally.

He said the High Level Meeting would not end hunger on the continent but continues efforts by the leaders coupled with the adherence to the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Platform(CAADP) framework could.