The Daily Observer (Banjul)
Musa Ndow and Augustine Mendy
7 July 2009
Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union, has called for an enhanced African integrated market.
Commissioner Rhoda made these remarks while addressing a press conference held at the margins of the just concluded 13th ordinary session of the assembly of heads of state and government, in Sirte, Libya. The theme of this year's session was "Investing in agriculture for economic growth and food security."
On the issue of exportation and importation of commodities in Africa, Commissioner Rhoda stressed the need for AU member states to encourage the processing of agricultural production within Africa to create employment and encourage integrated markets, citing the fact that the issue of integration is of paramount importance on the agenda of the African Union. "We have land, water and other resources; thus, we need to invest in agriculture for the economic growth and food security," she noted.
She pointed out that regional integration also offers Africa the opportunity to concentrate and capitalise on the area and products where each region and or country has a comparative advantage and can derive its benefits from its competitive edge. According to her, all these have the potential to enable Africa to scale-up its infrastructural development, thereby improving on the environment for trade.
Commissioner Rhoda reiterated her call on AU member states to invest more in agriculture, for it has positive multiplier effects on other sectors. She however underscored the need for African governments to convert the continent's annual food import bill of U$533 billion into investment in agriculture. She also called for unity with the development partners at the national level as well as the civil society to aid agricultural development in Africa, describing food security and poverty as pair of the same coin. She noted that food security is not only production of food but also raising household incomes and national revenue to be able to afford food and nutritional security.
Other issues discussed during the conference include the theme of the 13th AU Summit, "Investing in agriculture for economic growth and food security", "the impact of the high price of food crisis on food security", the implementation on the comprehensive Africa agriculture development programme (CAADP); Africa's self sufficiency; and land policy on the continent.
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