OBLIQUE ANGLE : Give priority to food security

Well, one of the big stories that were awash in the local media this week was on the state of Tanzania’s food security. The reports suggested that we are facing a dire situation when it comes to availability of food. Food security simply means the state of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.

Some data showed that the National Food Reserve Agency had less than 100,000 tonnes of food in stock. This is an amount that can feed the nation for only eight days!

Well. How did we end here? Who is responsible to ensuring that we have reliable access to sufficient food? What is the role of food in national security? Are we all, as Tanzanians, united in ensuring that we have food security in our country?

Still puzzled by the news, I recalled the years Tanzania used to beg for food from a country like Egypt. Well, most of us know that almost 90 per cent of the land of Egypt is desert. Nothing grows in the desert. So, the country depends on the Nile Valley for its food production.

Egypt has for the most part been food self-sufficient. Its population is well above 80 million. Now compare that with Tanzania. Over 90 per cent of Tanzania’s soil is arable. Its population is about 50 million. And, you wonder, why would Tanzania go and beg food from a country that depends on less than 10 per cent of its land for food production?

Various initiatives have been started in our country all aimed at enhancing agro-production. The last one was ‘Kilimo Kwanza’, that is, agriculture first. Whatever happened to this initiative?

All in all, methinks, we need to do something. Each one of us has a responsibility of ensuring that food security in our country is guaranteed, not only for the present generation but for future ones as well.

This is what Bill Gates has to say regarding food security: “Innovations that are guided by smallholder farmers, adapted to local circumstances, and sustainable for the economy and environment will be necessary to ensure food security in the future”.

And, Pope Benedict XVI adds his weight: “Food security is an authentically human requirement. Guaranteeing it for present and future generations also means safeguarding ourselves against the uncontrolled exploitation of natural resources. Indeed, the process of consumption and waste seems to overlook any concern for ... biodiversity, which is so important for agriculture”.

I think, a change of government should not mean changing our priorities. We need to continue initiatives that will guarantee our country food security.

Our country cannot be secure if its people are hungry. Production in other sectors is also not possible without people having food. Let the government lead us in guaranteeing our people of food.

Cheers!