Sadc ministers responsible for agriculture, food security, fisheries and aquaculture will meet in Victoria Falls later this month to deliberate on regional strategies aimed at improving food and nutrition security as well as advancing the blue economy.
The joint ministerial meeting is scheduled for May 29 at Safari Lodge in Victoria Falls and will bring together ministers from across the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) region.
According to a statement issued by the Sadc secretariat, the meeting will focus on strengthening regional food systems, improving resilience and enhancing cooperation in fisheries and aquaculture.
“The meeting will review implementation of previous summit, council and ministerial decisions and deliberate on measures to accelerate transformation of food systems, strengthen resilience, and harness the blue economy in the Sadc region,” the statement read.
The meeting will be chaired by South Africa’s Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development minister John Henry Steenhuisen, in his capacity as chairperson of the Joint Committee of SADC Ministers of Agriculture and Food Security, Fisheries and Aquaculture.
Zimbabwe’s Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources minister, Anxious Masuka, is expected to officially open the conference.
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Ahead of the ministerial engagement, senior government officials responsible for agriculture, food security, fisheries and aquaculture will convene from May 27 to 28.
Key issues set to dominate discussions include the regional food and nutrition security situation, the 2025/26 rainfall season performance, production outlook and forecasts for the 2026/27 agricultural season.
Sadc said ministers will also receive updates on the 5th Biennial Review of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), progress under the Support Towards the Operationalisation of the Sadc Regional Agricultural Policy (STOSAR II) project and strategies aimed at promoting youth participation in agribusiness.
The regional bloc said discussions would further cover the Sadc Rice Development Strategy, regional crop development programmes and harmonised frameworks for fertiliser regulation, plant health and seed systems.
The meeting is also expected to review the state of fisheries and aquaculture in the region, including implementation of the Programme for Improving Fisheries Governance and Blue Economy Trade Corridors (PROFISHBLUE), genetic improvement of tilapia and revision of the Sadc Aquaculture Strategy and Action Plan.
On livestock health, ministers are expected to discuss the regional response to Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) following resolutions made during the Sadc Council of Ministers meeting held in Pretoria, South Africa, in March this year.
Sadc said member states had been urged “to accelerate a coordinated regional response including strengthened cross-border surveillance, harmonised vaccination strategies, enhanced information sharing, and resource mobilisation, to safeguard livestock-based livelihoods, trade, and food security”.