The number of people going hungry in the SADC region is increasing – not decreasing.

The SADC Regional Food Security Conference said numerous reasons lie behind the region's growing food crisis – climate change, imposed market-based policies, mismanagement of grain reserves, questionable government policies, and unjust trade agreements such as the Economic Partnership Agreements. Delegates made a call for action by SADC and outlined what needs to be done.

SADC Regional Food Security Conference: Johannesburg, South Africa, 29 June – 1 July 2009

Conference Statement

We, the delegates representing 11 National Christian Councils (NCCs) which are affiliated to the Fellowship of Christian Councils in Southern Africa (FOCCISA); Southern Africa regional funding donor organisations; regional faith-based organisations (FBOs) and general civil society organisations (CSOs), met in Johannesburg, South Africa from 29 June – 1 July 2009 to deliberate on the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) food security situation. 

We discussed the extent of the food security situation with particular emphasis on the food crisis in each SADC member state. We further looked at the challenge of climate change and its devastating impact on food security in the region.

The conference identified numerous causes of food insecurity such as mismanagement of grain reserves, possible effects of climate change, imposed market based policies (neo liberal policies), questionable government policies and unjust trade arrangements such as the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs).

It was concluded that there are numerous critical interventions that need to be formulated and implemented in order to alleviate the present food insecurity.

There was an expressed concern that the numbers of people going hungry in the SADC region is increasing instead of decreasing. We feel that this should not be the case.

We therefore categorically call on our governments and the SADC Secretariat to deliver the following:

1. To create a conducive political and social environment to enable our people to live in peace for sustainable food production.
2. To domesticate and implement all food security related declarations such as the Dar-es-Salaam SADC Declaration on Agriculture and Food Security and the Maputo Declaration in a transparent manner.
3. SADC should monitor and evaluate adherence to declarations
4. Appropriate and targeted policies for tackling hunger in the region.
5. Engagement of churches and civil society organisations in assisting the hungry people with immediate food relief.
6. To create and release regular progress reports on the implementation of adopted measures for dealing with food insecurity.

Finally, we request the SADC Secretariat’s Food Agriculture and Natural Resources (FANR) and all its units to communicate and work collaboratively with Faith Based Organisations (FBOs) and civil society in its activities and participate in activities of regional civil society organisations.