General
Source: The Namibian
A KEY reason for the under-performance of the agricultural sector in the developing world is women's lack of equal access to resources and opportunities they need to be productive.
This is according to a 2010/11 Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) report delivered at the 37th session of the organisation in Italy in June. The session discussed the role of women in the agricultural sector and rural development.
Minister of Agriculture John Mutorwa, who attended the conference, on Wednesday in Parliament reported that this is a clear indication that the Millennium Development Goals on gender equality and food security are inextricably linked and mutually reinforcing.
The FAO report 'Women in Agriculture – Closing the Gender Gap for Development' further stated that the experiences of food prices and financial crises have provided a sharp reminder of the vulnerability of world food security to shocks in the global food system and the world economy.
This, is said, has underscored the importance of appropriate safety nets and social programmes to protect food security, while boosting the agricultural productive capacity of the developing countries. It further recognised that climate change increase price volatility.
José Graziano da Silvo from Brazil was elected as the new FAO director general, who will serve in this position from January 1, 2012 to July 31, 2015. He will be replacing Dr. Jacques Diouf who has been the director general from January 1994. Diouf will officially relinquish his position at the end of December.