Ghana’s government in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United States(FAO) will hold a series of negotiations to deal with Ebola, food insecurity and other major challenges that various African countries are facing.
According to him, the negotiation has become necessary due to the Ebola epidemic and increasing spate of food insecurity which has left millions of people in various African countries hungry and stranded.
President Mahama revealed that the Ebola epidemic has affected agricultural activities in most African countries.
“Like I mentioned, the period of Ebola crises has made it impossible for people to undertake their normal agricultural activities,” Ghana’s President maintained.
[contextly_sidebar id=”9SGCtdfxrX0Kha7zZ9ek4IAT4gUbhuiT”]Ebola crises affecting Agriculture
“The crises increased in February and March this year and that is the agricultural period in West Africa. It lasts from March till about October and that is where we have the rainy season and so most people have been unable to till their lands and go to the farms or harvest their crops and so there is going to be a major problem of food security,” Mahama further explained
This is not the first time President Mahama has raised concerns about the adverse effects the deadly disease is having on the African continent.
Speaking at an opening ceremony of the Extra Ordinary session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mahama said the Ebola has rendered thousands of children in affected countries orphans.
He urged the heads at the session “to move past a perfunctory discussion of facts and figures…to look past data and see the faces of those affected by this disease.”
“I believe that in a globalised world, we are all each other’s keeper and so it is something that should concern us and so we will hold global conferences that will help us to share best practices and see how we can tackle common problems that face humanity …Ghana is going to be represented at the Conference. Ministers of Health and Agric are going to be here with the delegation,”President Mahama said.
850 million’ chronically’ hungry
According to him, about 850 million people are chronically hungry in the world.
“…it is estimated that 850 million people are chronically hungry in this world and it is unacceptable that a part of humanity as large as that number, almost a billion people do not have sufficient food to eat,”President Mahama said
He said “food security is a challenge for many countries…” across the world.
He believes the challenge can be resolved if effective political leadership is promoted in those affected countries.
“I think that in the fight against hunger, political leadership is critical. Food security is challenge for many countries and once we have come together as a world to set specific targets to reduce hunger and malnutrition”
President Mahama, early this year, pledged government’s commitment to ensuring food security and sufficiency in the country.
The President made the commitment in Kade in the Eastern Region where he witnessed the harvesting of some vegetables cultivated through an enhanced technology called EnviroDome Greenhouse system.
The challenge, however, remains unresolved as persons in Ghana and other West African countries continue to battle with food insecurity in their respective countries.
By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana