Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, John Dumelo, has called for agricultural investments and development interventions across Africa to be measured by their ability to improve livelihoods, create jobs and strengthen food security rather than by policy commitments alone.
He said governments, development partners and agricultural institutions must ensure that programmes implemented across the continent translate into tangible economic benefits for farmers, fishers, agro-processors, youth and vulnerable communities.
Mr Dumelo made the call at the opening of the 15th Regional Management Team Meeting of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Accra, where senior agricultural leaders from across Africa gathered to discuss strategies for accelerating agrifood systems transformation.
According to him, Africa’s growing investment in agriculture must result in measurable outcomes that boost productivity, enhance value addition and improve incomes throughout the agricultural value chain.
“Let us use this meeting to renew our collective commitment to delivery. Let us ensure that our work brings real change to farmers, fishers, processors, youth and disadvantaged communities,” he stated.
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The three-day meeting, held under the theme, “Driving Efficiency for Delivery and Impact: Innovate. Accelerate. Scale,” brought together FAO representatives, sub-regional coordinators and regional office teams to review operational strategies and strengthen implementation across the continent.
Participants examined key areas including operational effectiveness, leadership and people management, analytics, supply chain management, fiduciary oversight, risk management and impact measurement.
The discussions also focused on scaling flagship FAO programmes such as the Hand-in-Hand Initiative, the One Country One Priority Product Programme, Digital Villages and Green Cities initiatives.
Other topics included science and innovation, monitoring and evaluation, gender equality, youth participation and preparations for the Fourth FAO Global Working Conference, which Ghana will host in December this year.
The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Emilia Arthur, highlighted the importance of partnerships in advancing Africa’s food systems transformation agenda and building resilience against growing food security challenges.
She commended the longstanding collaboration between Ghana and the FAO and urged stakeholders to embrace innovation and accelerate the implementation of successful agricultural interventions.
“We must innovate boldly, accelerate delivery and scale what works if we are to transform our agrifood systems and strengthen food security across the continent,” she said.
Godfrey Magwenzi, Deputy Director-General of the FAO, described Africa as critical to the organisation’s future impact and global relevance, noting that the continent presents both significant opportunities and complex development challenges.
He said effective delivery of agricultural programmes in Africa would not only improve livelihoods but also demonstrate the effectiveness of international development cooperation.
“Africa is where many pressures converge most visibly and where FAO must show that it can deliver with ambition, discipline and innovation,” he stated.
Mr Magwenzi stressed the need for greater institutional coordination and efficiency within the organisation to accelerate programme delivery and maximise development impact.
He noted that eliminating duplication, improving decision-making processes and strengthening collaboration across FAO structures would be essential to scaling agricultural transformation efforts across Africa.
The meeting comes at a time when African countries are seeking to modernise agriculture, strengthen food systems and attract greater investment into agribusiness as part of broader efforts to drive economic growth, create employment and reduce poverty.
