WSU in collaboration with the World Food Programme recently commemorated World Food Day in the company of agricultural experts who drew focus on vulnerable food security systems in the Eastern Cape Province and other African countries.
Word Food Programme Regional Director, Dr Menghestab Haile, addressing local farmers, academics and students at Walter Sisulu University's Mthatha Campus said Eastern Cape farmers would have to reconsider and revise their food systems in order to achieve self-efficacy and commercial status.
"A common theme coming from discussions is that in this region and Africa, the food systems are highly dependent on traditional rain fed small holding farmers, who are mostly women and old men. This kind of agricultural practice cannot meet the food needs of the population," he said.
In addition to outdated farming methodologies, Dr Haile pressed emphatically on youth unemployment in Africa as a result of outdated farming methods conflicting with youths' interests in mordern technology.
"I was lucky to be talking to the president of Zimbabwe and we were discussing this issue. When I was explaining to him that we know there is high youth unemployment. But the youth don’t want to work in agriculture and we cannot blame them. I used a metaphor; that it is like holding a hoe on one hand and a mobile phone on the other - and these are not compatible. What we must do is transform agriculture in such a way it becomes business and attracts the youth. Youth unemployment combined with the vulnerable food systems is not going to take us far."
Dr Haile added that the traditional farming systems we are practising on the content today have not changed since the early 60’s and 70’s.
"Now how do you expect to feed the people that we have on the content with that kind of agriculture. It is no wonder Africa’s import bill is increasing annually," said Haile.
WSU's Faculty of Commerce and Administration researcher, Dr Sunday Hosu said that the food production in the Eastern Cape has shifted drastically towards garden farming.
"We need to transform agriculture. The next step would be to make farmers work together. One of the issues we face is that farmers cannot compete with supermarkets and the other is low production because of capital.
We should allow farmers to work together so that they can bargain,” said Hosu.
In conclusion Hosu said that the last part would be training local farmers - which has been happening in some pockets.
“The support systems need to be vibrant. The climate and soil are not too bad. We can do a lot In the Eastern Cape in agriculture and feed our people,” he concluded.
By: Sinawo Hermans