Africa Must Develop Tailored Agricultural Systems to Combat Hunger – President Ruto
Kenyan President William Ruto has called for a transformation in Africa’s approach to food production, emphasizing the need for tailored agricultural systems that address the unique needs of each community.
Speaking at the World Without Hunger Summit in Addis Ababa, Ruto urged African nations to invest aggressively in sustainable agriculture to enhance food production across the continent’s diverse regions.
“The only way to overcome hunger is through bold, ambitious collective action that addresses the root causes,” Ruto stated. He highlighted the urgency of building resilient food systems and urged African leaders to prioritize agricultural education for farmers.
This, he noted, would equip them to combat climate change, which he called the biggest threat to food security due to unpredictable weather patterns disrupting food supply.
Ruto emphasized that achieving food security requires deploying resources for unified climate action, mobilizing partnerships, and securing substantial commitments beyond policy to tangible action.
The recent 2024 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report underscored the severity of the global food crisis, revealing that 733 million people worldwide faced hunger in 2023, with Africa experiencing the highest rates.
In the continent, one in five people is affected, and over 2.8 billion globally cannot afford a healthy diet. The report classifies hunger as alarming in countries like Burundi, Chad, Madagascar, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen.
Ruto’s call for a tailored approach to agriculture, alongside resilient, climate-aware strategies, signals a shift towards sustainable, long-term solutions to Africa’s food security crisis.
