Mr. Abdirashid Duale, the CEO of Dahabshiil Group of Companies speaking to BBC Focus on Africa Programme regarding the recently concluded Global Food Security Summit 2023 which was held in the UK said, “The Global Food Security Summit which took place on 20th of November 2023 focused on international attention on the deepening global food security crisis and help boost efforts to achieve Zero Hunger and end malnutrition.
He added that hunger is affecting nearly 1 Billion people all around the world and the global food system is facing unprecedented challenges. Amongst other drivers, climate change and extreme weather, and the related pest and disease burdens, are reducing crop yields, and increasing famine and conflict in food-producing countries such as Ukraine, Russia, and others. Science and technology in food systems have the potential to unlock substantive growth in the Global South, reduce global food prices, tackle hunger, and enable healthier diets. It is also essential for tackling climate change and nature loss.
“Dahabshiil plays a vital role in empowering Somali-speaking people by setting up microfinance institutions to help small-scale business people to build their status in business and on the other hand has been supporting cheap energy for businesses to reach off-grid rural communities with low-cost, clean energy products and services. Somali-speaking people should forge new ways of food production such as fishing in order to address and avert the famine in 2022 which decimated the livestock and the current climate-induced severe shocks in the country”, he said.
Mr. Abdirashid Duale further added that the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced a £100 million (nearly $125 million) for Somalia’s development projects, encompassing economic infrastructure and agricultural development.
The Global Food Security Summit, co-hosted by the UK, the UAE, and Somalia, was attended by representatives from more than 20 countries, aiming to discuss ways to enhance efforts to achieve zero hunger.
