A regional food security expert from International Federation of Red Cross society and Red Crescent has said that water conservation is important for food security in any country.

Amdemariam from Ethiopia said this during a training session of Rwanda Red Cross senior officials and senior volunteers on food security.

The expert has twenty years of experience working with disaster preparedness and tackles food security issues.

He said conflicts, floods and other natural disasters are major causes of what he called chronic food insecurity in the countries he oversees which include the Great Lakes region, Horn of Africa and Indian Ocean islands.

Having worked with Ethiopian government in disaster prevention preparedness commission (DPPC), Kiflemariam revealed that at least 1.5 million people have been displaced, hence putting food security at stake in the region.

Pointing out the recent floods that displaced over two thousand people in the country’s Northern Province, Kiflemariam said that he was not sure of the true picture on food security in Rwanda but said it was not as alarming as in Sudan.

The Head of Programs at the Rwanda Red Cross, Marie Antoinette Uwimana, said that Rwanda’s food security was not at risk.

This is the first time Rwanda Red Cross has trained its senior personnel on food security and they believe it will make an impact in society.

Rwanda Red Cross recently embarked on tree planting exercise in several districts as part of a strategy to help reduce natural and man-made risks.

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