7 November 2012. East African Community Secretariat. The president of the Rome-based International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) Mr. Kanayo Nwanze has assured the East African Community of full support in its efforts to fight hunger and become food self-sufficient.
He said that EAC would be their top priority in 2013 adding that his senior officials would be dispatched to discuss areas of co-operation in revamping food production in the region.
“EAC is exemplary in its integration programmes and I fully endorse opportunities to work with the region”, stated Mr. Nwanze during discussions with EAC Secretary General Amb. Dr. Richard Sezibera at IFAD headquarters in Rome, Italy, 6 November 2012.
Amb. Sezibera informed the IFAD President that EAC has developed an Action Plan to reverse the region’s persistent food insecurity.
“The region is frequently affected by food shortages and pockets of hunger although it has capacity to produce enough food for local consumption and surplus for export to the world market,” the EAC Secretary General said.
He added that the five-year Action Plan was adopted by the 9th Extra-Ordinary Summit of EAC Heads of State, the highest decision making body, mid this year.
The aim of the Action Plan is to significantly increase production of strategic food security commodities through access to inputs and promotion of cross border production in the region.
The EAC is also establishing early warning system for monitoring food shortage, said Amb. Sezibera.
Also present during the courtesy visit were Amb. Deo Rwabita from Uganda, the outgoing Dean and Chair of EAC Ambassadors in Italy, and Amb. Renovat Ndayirukiye, Burundi’s Ambassador to Italy.
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