Speaker Roots For Behavioral Change In Food Consumption As Part Of Efforts To Promote Food Security
Delegates pose for a photo
By PSCU
The Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula has rooted for behavioral change as a remedy for promoting food security.
He at the same time urged regional leaders to create awareness towards the cultivation of other crops that would make the Africa region food secure.
The Speaker made the remarks during the opening of the 5th Parliamentary Dialogue of the Eastern Africa Parliamentary Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition (EAPA FSN).
“We have climate change issues in Africa. As leaders, we need to engineer behavioral change in food consumption. I call upon legislators and the Alliance’s partner, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), to create awareness and encourage positive behavioral and social change regarding food among our people.”
He noted that overreliance of maize as a food crop is not sustainable given that maize is susceptible to weather and climate changes. He stated that alternative food sources such as cassava, among others, have much more resilience than maize.
Speaker Wetang’ula expressed regret that while other regions have focused their energies on ways to enhance their food security, the African region has spent more time addressing other forms of security rather than that of food.
“Our founding fathers aimed at eradicating poverty, ignorance, diseases, and hunger, yet even 50 years post-independence, these challenges still persist'” said Wetangu’ula.
He urged the legislators to take keen interest in their oversight role and ensure that the policies formulated by the executive take into account the needs of the people as far as food security and nutrition are concerned.
He affirmed his commitment to anchor in legislation the outcome of the Parliamentary Dialogue.
On his part, the Regional Chairperson, EAPA FSN, Yussuf Adan Haji (Mandera West) reiterated that the Alliance’s main focus will be to eradicate hunger. He added that Africa has good soil, climate, livestock and blue economy and that’s all we need to eradicate hunger.
While delivering his opening remarks Charles Kamuren (Baringo South), Chairperson of the Parliamentary Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition Caucus, advocated for more funding to be channelled towards enhancing food production and climate action in line with the Maputo Declaration.
The Declaration made in 2003 gives prominence to the “commitment to the allocation of at least 10 percent of national budgetary resources to agriculture, and rural development policy implementation within five years”.
Participants in the forum comprise lawmakers and representatives from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, the East African Community (EAC) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)
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