Agriculture and food security contribute to a region’s quality of life, making them top priorities for SADC. The Declaration on Agriculture and Food Security in the SADC Region sets out SADC Member States’ commitment to enhancing agriculture as a means of improving access to food for people in the region.
Member States agree to implement short-, medium-, and long-term objectives to advance the state of agriculture and food security in Southern Africa. Short-term plans focus on raising the level of agriculture and food security through such means as ensuring small farmers access agricultural inputs, improving fertilizer usage in the region, and increasing production of drought-resistant crops and short-cycle livestock. Medium- to long-term approaches concentrate on maintaining sustainable agriculture and food security measures through environmental conservation, disaster preparation, and research into modern agricultural technologies.
The Declaration instructs the SADC Integrated Committee of Ministers to implement the related Plan of Action, reviewing its progress every two years.
