SADC Scales up €10 Million Drive to Boost Regional Food Security

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has intensified efforts to tackle food insecurity and build long term agricultural resilience across the region through the €10 million “Support Towards the Operationalisation of the SADC Regional Agricultural Policy” (STOSAR II) project.

The initiative, funded by the European Union and implemented in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), seeks to address what SADC describes as “unacceptably high” levels of food and nutrition insecurity affecting about 67.7 million people across its 16 member states.

Speaking as the region joined the global community in marking World Food Day 2025, SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi said the bloc remains focused on transforming agrifood systems and supporting policies that promote equitable access to land, water, livestock, and other agricultural inputs.

“Food and nutrition security remain central to SADC’s regional integration agenda. We continue to support Member States in building resilient agrifood systems and promoting nutrition sensitive approaches that address the needs of women, children, youth, smallholders, and vulnerable populations,” Magosi said.

He added that through collaboration with FAO under the Hand in Hand (HiHi) framework, SADC is implementing data-driven and country led programmes to accelerate agrifood transformation. This includes the use of geospatial and analytical tools to guide investments in irrigation, mechanisation, agro-processing, and trade integration.

“These efforts are designed to shift the region from crisis response to long term transformation, raising incomes, improving dietary diversity, and enhancing resilience to climate change,” Magosi said.

SADC has identified climate change, conflict, and economic shocks as major challenges undermining regional food systems. To address these, the organisation is promoting disaster risk reduction, early warning systems, land restoration, and climate adapted agricultural innovations.

This year’s World Food Day is being commemorated under the theme “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future”, highlighting the importance of collective action and partnerships in achieving food and nutrition security across the region.