In partnership with the African Union, the United Nations and others, the U.S. Department of State has launched an initiative to help African farmers and governments prepare for and adapt to the food security challenges posed by climate change.

 Carrie Fowler, the US Special Envoy for Global Food Security, announced the new program on Wednesday at the Institute for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

 “Crops adapted to climate, pests, diseases and market needs are prerequisites for food security,” Fowler said. “You can’t get a good harvest on barren soil.”

 Fowler, who recently visited Zambia and Malawi, warned of the urgent need to develop crops that can withstand the impacts of climate change and the agricultural productivity demands of Africa’s growing population.

 “At this time of extreme weather and population growth in Africa, we see a real opportunity to promote soil health and climate-stable crops in Africa,” said Fowler. “By the end of the century, as you probably already know, Africa will be the most populous continent in the world, yet 300 million people are already food insecure on this continent.”

Historically, most adjustment efforts have focused on a handful of crops, such as corn, rice and wheat, Fowler said. He said plants should be included.

 “A lot of attention has also been paid to other crops, including cereals such as sorghum, millet and teff, almost all root vegetables, tubers and hundreds of fruits and vegetables native to Africa,” he said. rice field. “Unsurprisingly, yields have been low and their potential unrealized. Many of these plants have never been tackled by scientifically trained plant breeders in the entire history of agriculture. “

 This initiative is being launched in collaboration with the African Union and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Ambassador Cindy McCain, the US Permanent Representative to the UN agency in Rome, attended the launch. She said intersecting crises such as armed conflict, COVID-19 and climate change are straining the world’s food system. And it affects everyone, especially the most vulnerable people around the world.

 “During her travels as US ambassador to the UN agency in Rome, she has seen the effects of conflict, water scarcity and extreme weather from Kenya to Madagascar, Sri Lanka to Laos,” she said. . “Just as world leaders sought climate solutions at COP 27 in Egypt last year and the Negev Forum in the United Arab Emirates last month, we are using science, technology and innovation in agriculture. It is clear that we must support population growth, and we need a united global effort.”

 Fowler said that in addition to the FAO and AU, organizations such as the Rockefeller Foundation, Columbia University and CGIAR (the Global Partnership of International Agencies Engaged in Food Security Research) are also involved in the effort. It’s like a potluck dinner, with the State Department providing some resources and possibly a main course, but other partners will need to contribute efforts to make it a success, he said. Fowler said the process outlined is scientific and part of building consensus and ties.