-At The Women in Agribusiness Week Conference
The Principal Research Scientist at CSIR Food Research Institute, Dr. Gregory Afra Komlaga, has sounded an urgent alarm about the mounting global hunger crisis.
According to Dr. Komlaga, who was speaking at the Women in Agribusiness Week Conference in Accra, 783 million people worldwide, roughly 10% of the global population are enduring chronic hunger, as highlighted in recent United Nations statistics.
He emphasized the situation is dire in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) reported in 2022 that 22.5% of the population is afflicted by food insecurity.
Dr. Komlaga pointed to several critical factors fueling this crisis, including low food production, high post-harvest losses, and inefficiencies in food distribution.
He noted that in Sub-Saharan Africa, smallholder farmers often lose up to half or more of their harvests due to post-harvest issues, ultimately escalating food prices and trapping communities in poverty.
To this end, he proposed that advanced food production methods, along with improved post-harvest and processing technologies, could play a transformative role in stabilizing food supplies and making food more affordable.
The conference, organized by Guzakuza, an advocacy organization for women in agribusiness, accents the unique role women can play in reshaping African food systems.
Dr. Komlaga commended Guzakuza’s work in empowering African women across agribusiness sectors, stressing that they serve not only as producers but as custodians of food quality and safety.
Furthermore, he urged women to adopt responsible practices that prioritize food safety and consumer well-being, aligning with Guzakuza’s mission to foster innovation and sustainability.
The Research Scientist also referenced a 2015 Millennium Development Goal (MDG) report, noting Sub-Saharan Africa’s particularly high rate of undernourishment among children under five and the elderly.
He, therefore, called for immediate steps to curb food waste, noting FAO’s findings that roughly 30% of food produced globally is lost or wasted each year a considerable blow to food security worldwide.
Guzakuza’s lead, Nana Adjoa Sifa, emphasised these concerns, highlighting the need to challenge outdated policies and practices that obstruct women’s growth in agribusiness.
She stressed Guzakuza’s commitment to reimagining an African food system led by women, focused on equity and resilience. By providing essential resources and knowledge, she said, Guzakuza aims to equip women with the tools needed to drive transformative change across the continent.
There was a collective pledge at the conference to strengthen Africa’s food systems through resilience and innovation, championed by women leaders across agribusiness.
