There is a need for African governments to come up with sound agricultural policies to address the food crisis in Africa. This was the general commentary made by Parliamentarians at the ninth ordinary session of Pan African parliament in Midrand, South Africa, during a debate on the food crisis in Africa.

According to a Nepad weekly online publication, the parliamentarians said that the problem could only be addressed by Africans themselves.

Some argued that production in the region was greatly hampered by conflicts and the absence of peace and stability. They also emphasised the need to subsidise farmers and the need for research on increasing food production.

A Zambian MP, Maynard Misapa, said governments should introduce agriculture as a compulsory subject in schools.

Master Goya from Botswana said African countries should cease to rely on food aid.

Another legislator from Senegal, Moussa Cisse, told the house that it was imperative for Africa to research on the root causes of the food crisis and how each member state could address this challenge.

The publication reports that acting chairperson of the committee on agriculture, rural economy, natural resources and environment, Athumani Mwinshee Danguo, said that more than 50 per cent cause of the food crisis in Africa could be attributed to internal and cross-border conflicts which has displaced millions of people.

In presenting his committee’s report on food crises in Africa, he attributed the causes of famine and hunger in Africa to extended droughts and the HIV/Aids pandemic.

Inappropriate government agricultural policies were also a major contributing factor to the food crises, he said. This according to him is because many governments neglected agriculture in favour of trade and industry.

Poverty, outdated farming methods, changes in climate condition, land exhaustion, over- grazing and poor infrastructure were other issues highlighted by the report.

According to Izzedine Abdelmadjid, from Algeria, the current food crisis facing Africa was different from past problems. "It is a global crisis affecting all agricultural produce as well as having an effect on social progress, human rights, peace and security. That is why it needs to be managed correctly and urgently".

An MP from Sierra Leone, Moses Sesay, said the problem with the food crisis was that it had been addressed sporadically and there had never been any effort in any part of Africa to look at the problem collectively.

He suggested that every MP should go back to his or her country and help to promote farming in the various regions to make sure enough food was produced to feed the people.

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