FAO Food & Agriculture Organization [to 28 June 2014]
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Ending hunger by 2025: Africa raises the bar
26 June 2014, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea – FAO Director General José Graziano da Silva today congratulated African leaders attending the AU Summit here for “raising the bar” in the fight against hunger.

The continent’s renewed effort to boost regional food security include strengthening the Africa-owned CAADP strategy for agriculture development by including links to social protection, establishing an Africa-for-Africa South-South Cooperation food security trust fund and, most importantly, committing to eradicating chronic hunger by 2025.

In a milestone, during today’s AU General Assembly session African leaders formally committed to a number of bold goals to reflect ‘The Vision of the Agriculture We Want’ including to Ending Hunger by the year 2025 and Improving Nutrition. “There is an urgent need to value our local and traditional nutritious food and bring back the issue of eating well”, Graziano da Silva said. “I share with you that a major priority is to cut the food import bill and reduce dependence on imports,” he added.

In an additional sign of a renewed focus on the catalytic role agriculture can play for Africa, the theme of this week’s summit is “Transforming Africa’s Agriculture for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods, through Harnessing Opportunities for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development” — and the Union has also designated 2014 as the Year of Agriculture and Food Security in Africa.

This week’s Summit also marks the 10th anniversary of the creation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) a region-wide cooperative effort aimed at boosting agricultural productivity in the region…