Prevalent and increasing hunger and poverty, increasing demand for food due to population growth and dietary changes and unsustainable management of natural resources, along with climate change and the threat of increasing food price volatility, call for renewed joint policy action to achieve the goal of sustainable food security for all.

As the world population continues to grow, water becomes scarcer, soil erosion accelerates and the negative consequences of climate change become more visible, doomsday prophecies have once again found fertile grounds. It is time for action to reduce hunger and poverty, expand food supplies and sustainable management of natural resources.

Sustainable management of natural resources is essential to make food systems sustainable. Unfortunately, natural resources are not currently managed sustainably at the global level. Widespread soil erosion and nutrient mining; waterlogging and salinization; deforestation; contamination of surface and ground waters; overuse of water; and rapid increases in greenhouse gas emissions by the food system are illustrations of unsustainable use of natural resources. Drylands ecologies are particularly getting more sensitive to both unsustainable production methods and climate change.

The time to improve governance for sustainable management of natural resources at every level is now and it requires shared understanding of the issues, adequate assessment and monitoring tools and appropriate institutions and policies to engage all stakeholders, including locals who are also the largest producers of the agricultural products we consume in our daily life.

Therefore, the achievement of larger production of food per unit of land, water and labor – is essential to meet future food demands. Contrary to what is argued by some, agricultural intensification does not necessarily imply a deterioration of environmental quality. Instead, it is the mismanagement of inputs, such as inappropriate water use, overgrazing, and excessive, insufficient, or untimely applications of fertilizer and pesticides, which cause damage to the environment.

Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, together with the bio-based industries, are integral parts of an economy and society. Relying on the use of limited natural resources, these sectors produce and process biological resources to satisfy the demand of consumers and a wide range of industries for food, bio-energy and bio-based products. These sectors enhance self-reliance and provide jobs and business opportunities essential for economic growth.

Ensuring food security goes beyond securing sufficient supply. It also requires social and economic access to safe and nutritious food. Food consumption has an impact on human health and the environment. The challenge that we face today is how to meet consumers’ needs and preferences while minimizing the related impact on health and the environment.

Natural resource sector and agriculture have always had and maintained an important role in this process: the two sectors supply reliable, healthy and nutritious food as well as feed for animals and non-food products for a wide range of industries, shape and take care of our landscapes, provide public goods, and keep the countryside alive by providing jobs.

The same way natural resources are critical to agricultural production; farm households also frequently depend on them to meet other needs, such as fuel, construction materials, and supplemental foods. Thus rural livelihoods are intricately linked to the condition of natural resources.

In Rwanda, both the Ministry of Natural Resources (MINIRENA) and Agriculture (MINAGRI) have now embarked on a joint campaign for forests landscape restoration to ensure sustainable food security. This was clearly envisioned during a regional workshop on landscape restoration and sustainable agriculture about a fortnight ago. The stakeholders shared a common conceptual knowledge and understanding of activities, needs and opportunities for more sustainable agricultural production and natural resources management. In addition to this, various institutional mechanisms were arrived at on developing resource mobilization strategy pushing this noble agenda forward.

Dr Vincent Biruta, the Minister for Natural Resources said at an international workshop held at Serena hotel last week that "when we destroy the forest, the entire eco-system begins to fall apart. We stakeholders present in this workshop jointly agree that action needs to be taken before natural resources are destroyed.” Various stakeholders agreed that Rwanda has a strong enabling environment for landscape restoration.

A snapshot of Forest Landscape Restoration Opportunity Assessment Report-Rwanda, which was carried out in 2014 and launched during the event, highlighted major strides and interventions by MINIRENA and MINAGRI. These included agroforestry, improved woodlot and timber plantation management, protection and restoration of natural resources. These were cited as essential to achieving sustainable food and nutritional security for a burgeoning human population in the country, restore, regenerate and sustain the natural resource base for future food production in collaboration withlocal community.

As Rwanda joins the rest of the world in securing food for the current and future generations, it is requisite to echo one of the great environmentalists who once said, ‘there has never been more important time to address rural poverty in developing countries.

It looks likely that global food security and climate change will be among the key issues of the 21st century. As agricultural producers and custodians of a large share of the world’s natural resources, poor rural people have key roles to play, contributing not only to global food security and economic growth, but also to climate change mitigation efforts.’’

oscar.kimanuka@yahoo.co.uk