1 min
In every nation, achieving food security is key to their economic growth and development, and working towards this goal is not only noble but a must for food sovereignty. However, in recent times, whether one is cultivating crop or raising livestock or trading commodities, the reality of climate change has been more pronounced, causing a major disruption in the supply at different times. More sadly, the impact of these disruptions are becoming a norm – constantly experienced– along the food chain.
Presently for the farmers, rainfall patterns have drastically changed – it is no longer easy to predict when and how long rain water is available for farmers during the rainy season (rain-fed farming is still commonly practiced). Prolonged drought (early or late dry spell) causes destruction and losses of crops. Worse still, the majority of the farmers cannot afford irrigation facilities as an alternative to irregular rain water, which has contributed to the inefficiencies and less productivity of the sector. For the livestock, the harsh weather conditions had been a risk factor to the increasing incidence of diseases and its spread. The cost of keeping healthy livestock is increasing and thus affecting the cost of production and in some cases where these costs couldn't be afforded by the farmers, the number of deaths of livestock tends to increase which also contribute to food insecurity.
The accumulation of the various disruptions at the farm level extends to the trading point, where only limited quantities of food (crops or livestock) are available due to the previous losses at the farm and at the post harvest. It is a ripple effect from the farm to the table, where only a few consumers can comfortably access the right quality and quantity of food. Therefore, a disruption at any point along the food chain had resulted in a disruption of the entire value chain as is the case of our current reality.
Therefore, there is a need to address our foundational challenges; data collection and accuracy, policies that understand the changing needs of the sector and political willingness to implement the right policies. Without the right infrastructure put in place to collect and analyze the right data that can be used to identify the real problems and the subsequent policies and effective implementation, our current food system might be more broken and irreversible. There is no amount of wishful thinking that can help us to think our way than to address it head on by all. Food security is everyone's business and solving its challenges needs each stakeholder to take charge and be accountable. The work is here, the time is limited and the population is still rising. How much more do we want our people to live with hunger?
Yours-in-Service
Babatunde
The accumulation of the various disruptions at the farm level extends to the trading point, where only limited quantities of food (crops or livestock) are available due to the previous losses at the farm and at the post harvest. It is a ripple effect from the farm to the table, where only a few consumers can comfortably access the right quality and quantity of food. Therefore, a disruption at any point along the food chain had resulted in a disruption of the entire value chain as is the case of our current reality.
Therefore, there is a need to address our foundational challenges; data collection and accuracy, policies that understand the changing needs of the sector and political willingness to implement the right policies. Without the right infrastructure put in place to collect and analyze the right data that can be used to identify the real problems and the subsequent policies and effective implementation, our current food system might be more broken and irreversible. There is no amount of wishful thinking that can help us to think our way than to address it head on by all. Food security is everyone's business and solving its challenges needs each stakeholder to take charge and be accountable. The work is here, the time is limited and the population is still rising. How much more do we want our people to live with hunger?
Yours-in-Service
Babatunde
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