As effects of the El Nino induced drought, continue looming farmers have been urged to adapt to drought resistant crops which can go a long way in addressing the zero hunger challenge.
Addressing delegates at the launch of the Full Zimbabwe Zero hunger Strategic Report in the capital, Women University in Africa (WUA)Vice Chancellor, Professor Hope Sadza said it is imperative to come up with strategies that will educate farmers on the importance of adapting to climate change.
“In order to achieve the zero hunger challenge, farmers need to be educated on the need to adapt to change in climate.
“We need to come up with programs that will sustain food security.
“By educating our farmers on the need to adapt to the ever changing climate, we will achieve our goal of ending hunger by the year 2030. We need capacity development to promote small grain farming,” said Professor Sadza while pointing out that reduction in poverty can promote economic growth.
She added that government through the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary, Science and Technology should join hands in enhancing agricultural skills in Tertiary schools. The WUA boss, said Tertiary institutions should enroll more students in the agriculture faculty if the sector is to thrive.
“We need more students to be trained as farmers and be taught on the new technological methods. Government should see to it that all institutions are well equipped with modern technological equipment so that by the time students graduate, they have would ave acquired necessary skills,” she said.
In addition, she said it is time for all citizens to be ready for any mishap while referring to the El Nino which came unexpectedly and urged both the public and private sector to assist in fighting the hunger scourge so as to alleviate hunger in the next 14years.
She urged Zimbabweans do desist from waiting for food aid and donations, a move she said encourages the dependency syndrome.
Professor Sadza, said it should be everyone’s responsibility to work for the betterment of the country in terms of food sustainability while lamenting that it should be a thing of the past to see children suffering from malnutrition .
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Secretary from the Office of the President and Cabinet Justin Mupamhanga said government is committed to address the hunger challenges in the country.
He said “The Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (ZIM ASSET) is there to address such issues and strides have been made in terms of food provision and addressing malnutrition in children and government will continue steamrolling projects to ensure and end to hunger.”
The United Nations has put in place Sustainable Development Goals which are expected to be met by 2030 and SDG number 2 entails ending Zero Hunger.
However, having previously failed to meet the Millennium Development Goals, it remains to be seen if Zimbabwe can be able to meet the predecessor goals due to the economic challenges bedeviling the country.
