Minister hails health, environment, food security summit

Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale has hailed the Second African Health Harm Reduction Conference underway in Marrakesh, Morocco, saying it is an opportunity for Malawi to learn how to deal with challenges facing Africa.

The minister said this on Monday in Marrakesh, Morocco on the sidelines of the three-day conference where experts from over 80 countries are discussing health, environment, climate change and food insecurity challenges facing the African continent.

He said: “Malawi stands to benefit from the shared experience of others on how to mitigate the impact of climate change in the agriculture sector. We will also look at how best to adapt to climate change, especially now that we are victims of climate change.

“We need to adapt quickly and put in place mechanisms to mitigate the impact. We will learn how other countries are dealing with them, especially things that lead to climate change, environmental degradation and food insecurity.”

Meanwhile, Kawale is scheduled to address the conference on Thursday on Harm Reduction and Ecosystems of Tomorrow: The African Equation and the South-South Cooperation.

A statement released by organisers of the conference, Moroccan ministries of Health and Social Protection, Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forestry in collaboration with the African Global Health says the conference seeks to establish an African framework based on the experiences of African countries and the insights of public health experts.

Reads the statement in part: “The conference will also highlight best practices in governance, financing and financial stability, with a focus on critical sectors that impact health risk reduction, food security improvement and the ecosystems prevention, all of which have a direct impact on public health and quality of life.”

The conference is being held under the theme Health in Africa: Water, Environment and Food Security.