Food security essential for world security,FAO’Director-General tellsAfrican Synod

(Oct.13,2009): “Food security is essential to the decrease of poverty, the education of children and the health of the people, but also for lasting economic growth, as it conditions the stability and the security of the world,” Jacques Diouf, Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, told the Second Special Synod of Bishops for Africa on Monday in the Vatican. FAO is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger.
In Africa, despite the progress achieved by many countries, the state of food security is rather worrisome. The African Continent today counts 271 million undernourished persons, some 24% of the population. Diouf said Africa needs to modernise its means and its infrastructure for agricultural production. Among other problems Africa faces is that of water, he said, and this problem will soon worsen due to the consequences of global warming, causing a negative impact on the conditions of agricultural products in Africa.
Noting that the African Continent has been exploited through colonization but is now politically sovereign, Diouf said Africa must now have the greatness to forgive and continue to develop a cultural conscience based on her own.
In conclusion, Diouf expressed his appreciation for the work of the Church among the poorest people. “The missionaries, the Religious and many communities often do the difficult tasks, which sometimes are not gratefully acknowledged, but the Church continues to work alongside inter-governmental organisations of the NGOs and civil society”, FAO’s Director told the African Synod.