Dr Marc Lapodini Atouga, ECOWAS Commissioner in Charge of Agriculture, Science and Water Resources today said it was imperative for West African countries to maintain the role and importance of agriculture to ensure food security for the population. He said in West Africa, the problem of the long-term viability of extensive agriculture depended predominantly on rain-fed agriculture which was unsustainable, especially with the challenge of availability of water resources, which was gradually getting worse with the challenge of climate variability in the region.
“In that context, we need to ask ourselves questions about the types of agriculture and livestock, types of surface impoundments , habitat type and consumer mode to consider the practical ways of meeting the food needs of today’s estimated population of about 290 million, which is estimated to reach 400 million by 2020 and 500 million in 2030,” he said.
Dr Atouga who was speaking at a two-day workshop on Agricultural Systems and Climate Change Adaptation in Accra said among the six priority areas established in the Agriculture Policy adopted by the Heads of States of ECOWAS in 2005 was the prevention and management of food crises and other natural disasters, including
climate change.
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