This marks the day when the African people have been gathering to commemorate the liberation of their continent. The observations on this occasion revealed a general call for the lifting of harsh fiscal austerity policies applied by governments, which naturally affect the possibilities of creating new jobs and increasing salaries. This situation has appealed to the conscience of ITUC-Africa, which, in the context of this commemoration, came up with objective and concordant proposals for the African governments, with a view to finding effective solutions to the food crisis that is shaking our continent to the core.
The Coronavirus pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have adversely impacted food security on the continent, in terms of both the availability and price of imported food, as well as the mounting uncertainties in global financial markets and supply chains.
This year’ s African Liberation Day commemoration under the theme: Strengthening Resilience in Nutrition and Food Security on the African Continent, is an opportunity for ITUC-Africa to draw the attention of governments to the possibilities of alleviating some of the terrible and overwhelming hardships faced by workers, households, and communities.
As a matter of fact, in the view of ITUC-Africa, African governments are imposing and implementing harsh fiscal austerity policies that affect the possibilities for job creation and wage increases.
" This is reflected in a number of fiscal restraint measures that workers, families and communities are being pushed towards in the face of this situation. For the poor, women, especially those who are heads of households, the situation is getting worse. Workers in the informal economy, migrants’ families and people with disabilities are not faring any better either, " reads ITUC-Africa’s statement on the occasion of the commemoration of Africa Day 2022.
There is no point in criticising without providing solutions. This is why ITUC-Africa is also asking African governments to take its proposals into consideration in order to strengthen the nutrition and food security of their populations.
These proposals are four in number and include: (i) continuing to prioritise agriculture and steadily increasing investment to increase food production; (ii) reviving and reorganising food marketing agencies to regulate and control food prices; (iii) getting governments to expand and support school feeding programmes to ensure children’s access to food and nutrition. Such programmes will boost school enrolment, reduce absenteeism and dropout rates; and (iv) making every effort to improve access to safe water and health care.
" On our part, we will continue to rally our members and our people around actions to combat food insecurity and improve the well-being of all. We know and believe that a post-Covid-19 recovery that leaves no one behind is possible," concludes the ITUC-Africa’s statement.
