The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey says Ghana’s food storage capacity has been enhanced continuously through the implementation of the Regional Food Security Storage.
According to her, Government continues to strengthen the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) to manage these storage facilities, as well as ensure that agricultural produce are safe and suitable for human consumption at all times.
Speaking at the International Conference on the West African Food Security Storage System and the Building of a multilateral partnership, Madam Ayorkor Botchwey indicated that “Indeed, the enhancement of storage systems in Ghana and across the sub-region is also linked to the creation of employment in the informal sector.”
“Ghana, with the support of ECOWAS, has domesticated its national storage policy in line with the implementation of the regional food security storage strategy in West Africa.”
She however pointed out that despite the progress there are other issues that ought to be tackled head on in order not to derail the success chalked and called for concerted effort in that regard.
“While previous and on-going campaigns for food security in the sub-region have led to an appreciable improvement in the performance of both the agricultural and food storage sectors, food and nutritional insecurity still remains a major area of concern for Member States.
“It is for this reason that all Member States and relevant stakeholders need to boost their collaborative efforts for the operationalization and success of the regional reserve which is necessary and fundamental in the consolidation of regional solidarity and integration,” she stressed.
Meanwhile, the West Africa Regional Food Security Reserve was adopted in February 2013 by ECOWAS Heads of State and Government to strengthen the region’s leadership in the resolution of food, nutrition and pastoral crises.
It is intended primarily for emergency operations in the event of a crisis and consists of one-third physical stocks and two-thirds financial reserves. The Regional Food Security Reserve aims to complement the efforts of the Member States to provide rapid and diversified food and nutrition assistance, express regional solidarity to Member States and affected populations through transparent, equitable and predictable mechanisms, contribute to food sovereignty and to the political, economic and trade integration of West Africa.
With the political support of the G20 and the financial support of the European Union, the ECOWAS Commission, in 2015, commenced work towards the effective operationalization of this regional storage system as an important step in integration and regional solidarity. After 5 years of implementation of the Project, an internal assessment has revealed important achievements, challenges and lessons learnt in order to make the regional stockholding strategy a decisive instrument for the elimination of hunger in the region by 2030.
Story: Henry George Martinson@radiogoldlive.com
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