Story by Oleen Ndori, Foreign Desk Editor
THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) has intensified its long-term strategy to combat food insecurity and strengthen regional agricultural resilience through the launch and continued implementation of the €10 million “Support Towards the Operationalisation of the SADC Regional Agricultural Policy” (STOSAR II) project.
While acknowledging the “unacceptably high” levels of food and nutritional insecurity, which currently impact an estimated 67.7 million people across 16 Member States, the focus of the SADC Secretariat and its partners remains squarely on scaling up structural, long-term solutions.
As SADC joins the global community in commemorating World Food Day 2025, SADC Executive Secretary, Mr Elias Magosi said as food and nutrition security remains central to the body’s regional integration agenda, the secretariat continues to support member states in building resilient agrifood systems by strengthening policies that promote equitable access to land, water, forests, fisheries, livestock, and agricultural inputs.
“Food and nutrition security remain central to SADC’s regional integration agenda. The SADC Secretariat continues to support Member States in building resilient agrifood systems by strengthening policies that promote equitable access to land, water, forests, fisheries, livestock, and agricultural inputs. We also advance nutrition-sensitive approaches that address the needs of women, infants and young children, youth, smallholders, and vulnerable populations,” Mr Magosi said in a statement.
The Executive Secretary added that in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) under the Hand-in-Hand (HiHi) framework, SADC is scaling up efforts to implement data-driven and country-led programmes that accelerate agrifood systems transformation.
“The SADC Secretariat, with support from its partners, continues to implement strategic interventions to strengthen agrifood systems. The €10 million European Union-funded project “Support Towards the Operationalization of the SADC Regional Agricultural Policy” (STOSAR II), implemented in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and SADC Member States, has been instrumental in advancing these efforts and accelerating the implementation of the SADC Regional Agricultural Policy (RAP),” he said.
“In collaboration with FAO under the Hand-in-Hand (HiHi) framework, SADC is scaling up efforts to implement data-driven, country-led programmes that accelerate agrifood systems transformation. This includes the use of geospatial modelling and analytic tools, alongside robust partnership-building approaches to guide investments into high-potential areas for irrigation, mechanisation, agro-processing, and trade integration. These efforts aim to shift the region from crisis response to long-term transformation, raising incomes, improving dietary diversity and nutritional status, and strengthening resilience to climate change.”
Over the years, agrifood systems have been affected by numerous challenges stretching from conflict, climate extremes as well as economic shocks.
“As these challenges intensify, SADC remains committed to supporting Member States in building resilience through disaster risk reduction and response, early warning systems, land restoration, improved water and soil management, and promotion of climate-adapted agricultural innovations,” the Executive Secretary noted.
The World Food Day 2025 is running under the theme “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future,” a powerful reminder that achieving food and nutrition security requires collective action, cross-sectoral partnerships and a shared vision for a prosperous and resilient future.
