“Most of the grazing areas are overstocked resulting in range degradation but with the use of the green economy, there is a potential to enhance sustainability in the agricultural sector,” says Ms Mmadima Nyathi, Director of Research Statistics and Policy Development of the Botswana Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security.

Ms Nyathi was speaking on behalf of Mr. Boipolelo Khumomathlare, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, at the official opening of the Experts Group meeting on “Fostering Sustainable Transformation of Agriculture in Africa through Inclusive Green Economy: The Case of Livestock Value Chain in Southern Africa” organised by United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in collaboration with Secretariat of the Southern African Development Community.

Ms Nyathi observed that agricultural sector in Botswana offers a lot of opportunities for economic diversification and growth and employment creation especially for the majority of the population who resides in rural areas. She argued that the sector’s potential was hampered by inefficiencies along the product value chains which adversely affected the flow of agricultural products to lucrative domestic and export markets.

The study report under review, she said, was important: it offered opportunity to examine the application of green economy to enhance sustainability of the livestock sector, and facilitates comparison of value chains and learning from different countries of the Southern Africa subregion.

Speaking on behalf of Mr. David Phiri, the FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa, Mr. David Mfote the Assistant FAO Representative in Botswana said that this was the time to unite forces to realize the full potential of livestock sector in the subregion.

He said that sustainable livestock value chains were at the heart of FAO’s Five strategic objectives. He noted that FAO was committed to developing green livestock value chain to improve employment and income generation as well as other social benefits particularly for women and youth.

On his part and speaking on behalf of Ms. Fatima Denton, Director of Special Initiatives Division, Dr Nassim Oulmane, Chief of the Green Economy and Natural Resources Section said that agriculture had potential to better serve economic, social and environment imperatives of Africa.

He explained that the theme of the meeting was on transforming Africa’s agriculture to tackle major weakness and binding constraints to unleash the optimal potential of the sector, including in safeguarding and enhancing the productivity and health of the natural resources and environment, which are the very basis of agriculture.

He added that “mainstreaming green economy principles and approaches in to agricultural development stands out as one of the strategic interventions that African Governments could pursue towards the sustainable transformation of the sector.” He said this augured well with the development priorities and objectives of SADC region.

He reiterated one of the key principles endorsed by SADC Council of Ministers of Agriculture in August 2014 that SADC Agricultural programmes “should aim at maintaining the region’s natural capital and, along with both social sustainability and economic sustainability, contributing to sustainable development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

In this regard, he recalled that SADC has adopted a regional green economy strategy and action plan for sustainable development aimed at catalysing socio-economic transformation of the SADC Region towards a resource efficient, environmentally sustainable, climate-change resilient, low-carbon development path and equitable society.

“The study was an important tool that would provide SADC countries with guidance and policy options for mainstreaming inclusive green economy into the livestock sector,” he added.

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Application of inclusive green economy principles to boost productivity, and reduce inequality and poverty

“Application of inclusive green economy principles and practices in the Zambia agriculture sector will boost agricultural productivity, and reduce inequality and poverty,” says Zambia’s Permanent Secretary for Ministry of National Development Planning, Dr Auxilia Bupe Ponga.

Speaking at the official opening of the Validation Meeting for the Study Report on “Fostering Sustainable Transformation of Agriculture in Africa through Inclusive Green Economy: The Case of Livestock Value Chain in Zambia” organised by United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Dr Ponga observed that agriculture plays a significant role in eradicating poverty and that its subsectors including fisheries, livestock and agro-forestry continue to play an increasingly significant role in the lives of many Zambians.

“As you may be aware, the goal of the 7NDP is to “create a diversified and resilient economy for sustained growth and socioeconomic transformation driven, among others, by agriculture, tourism, manufacturing and mining,” she said.

She commended ECA for selecting Zambia as one of the three case studies which will feed into a subregional study of Livestock Value Chains in Southern Africa.

“I am particularly pleased that this study analyses the complex links between poverty-environment and sustainable transformation of agriculture using the livestock value chain as an example,” she said.

Dr Ponga noted that the study by ECA is timely as Zambia has just adopted the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP) under the theme “Accelerating development efforts towards the Vision 2030 without leaving anyone behind”.

“As the 7NDP states, agro-diversification and development will be based on comparative and competitive advantages in line with the Government’s Green Revolution agenda,” she added.

She was optimistic that the application of inclusive green economy principles and approaches in the Zambia agriculture sector could boost agricultural productivity, reduce inequality and poverty. She noted that the sector constitutes a priority and has potential to drive inclusive growth.

Dr Ponga said that for livestock development to be truly sustainable, there is need to adopt an integrated approach that harnesses the strong linkages between economic growth, social development and environmental protection.

She implored the experts from various Government Ministries, the private sector, academia and farmers to foster integrated planning if sustainable livestock development is to take place.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Green Economy and Natural Resources Section of ECA Dr Nassim Oulmane emphasized that green economy should contribute to eradicating poverty, as well as sustained economic growth, enhancing social inclusion, improving human welfare, and creating opportunities for employment and decent work for all.

He said the study which is aimed at interrogating the green economy further, will contribute to identifying the challenges and opportunities for inclusive green growth in Africa with emphasis on key sectors, including the livestock value chain. He added that climate resilient development was key for Africa’s transformational agenda and for achieving the sustainable development goals.

The meeting is organized by Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in collaboration with the Ministry of National Development Planning in Zambia.