Although accounting for only 2-5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, Africa has to bear many impacts of climate change, including food crises. In addition to bilateral cooperation activities on rice export, Vietnam also shares experiences and transfers agricultural production knowledge to many African countries, contributing to solving the "headache" of food in this region.

Earlier this September, a joint report by the United Nations and the African Union said that Africa is warming faster than the rest of the planet and is suffering from climate disasters and extreme weather such as drought, warning that climate change could trigger conflicts over resources.

The report cites emergency data showing that these disasters, such as the worst drought in 40 years in the Horn of Africa and wildfires in Algeria, have killed 5,000 people and caused more than $8.5 billion in economic losses. The actual figures could be higher due to gaps in reporting, the organization said.

[caption id="attachment_442424" align="alignnone" width="768"] A herder walks past a dead cow after a prolonged drought near the Kenya-Ethiopia border in Eresteno village, Mandera region, Kenya. Photo: Reuters[/caption]

According to the United Nations, more than 20% of Africa’s population, or 278 million people, are facing hunger. In the Sahel region alone, some 18.6 million people are severely food insecure, up 5.6 million from June 2022.

Meanwhile, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has also warned that the humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa is becoming increasingly difficult to control. Malnutrition continues to spread. An estimated 5.1 million children in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia are severely malnourished, with unpredictable consequences for their development and lives.

According to the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Africa imports about 12-13 million tons of rice each year. Vietnam is one of the major rice exporters to Africa. In addition, Vietnam has also sent more than 2,000 agricultural experts to help African countries grow rice, corn and raise fish under the form of tripartite cooperation such as: FAO - Africa - Vietnam, IFAD - Africa - Vietnam or JICA - Africa - Vietnam... Thanks to that, rice and fish productivity of some African countries has doubled, partly ensuring food and protein production for people in some African countries.

Dr. Tran Thuy Phuong - Institute for African and Middle East Studies (Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences) said that many Vietnamese experts have gone to African countries to support agricultural development, including Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Republic of Guinea, Namibia, Senegal, Benin, Madagascar, Mali, Republic of Congo... The success of agricultural development cooperation projects in the mother country has contributed to ensuring food security for many African countries.

Vietnam and Africa have been making efforts to seek new financial sources to fund the exchange of experts, transfer of cultivation techniques, and establish public-private partnerships in the field of agricultural production and processing...

[caption id="attachment_442432" align="alignnone" width="660"] Professor Vo Tong Xuan during his visit to Africa to guide people in rice cultivation. Photo: Vo Tong Xuan/Lao Dong[/caption]

In June 2023, Sierra Leone, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Vietnam signed the South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) Agreement. The project has an estimated budget of 5 million USD and is implemented through the Unilateral Trust Fund (UTF) from Sierra Leone.

Under the agreement, during the four-year project, Vietnam will provide Sierra Leone with expertise in rice value chain development. Experts and technicians specializing in rice, irrigation, breeding, mechanization and post-harvest management will be deployed to various locations, including research stations. In addition, capacity building initiatives such as study tours, field training and training of trainers will be implemented to empower local stakeholders.

Associate Professor, Dr. Dao The Anh, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS), Vice President of the Vietnam-Africa Economic Cooperation Association (VAECA), said that agricultural cooperation between Vietnam and African countries will be raised to a new level when the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has just established the South-South Cooperation Office. Vietnam has helped African countries receive technology transfer, ensure food security, and support the promotion of agricultural products. In the coming time, Vietnam will send more agricultural experts to support Africa and there will be more agricultural cooperation projects to replicate success.

At the international online conference on food security and nutrition held at the end of May 2022, agricultural expert - Professor, Dr. Vo Tong Xuan was concerned with the desire to support African people to reduce their concerns about food security. He said: "In Africa, food lies mainly in the soil, and there is an abundant human resource, especially young people who are eager to work. Just equip them with skills, tools, and technology for production, and Africa will certainly defeat the "hunger", ensure food security and sustainable development... We can support African countries by transferring experience, technology, and rice cultivation techniques. I really hope that international organizations will join hands to support African countries. If more units participate in supporting Africa, especially financially, we can completely realize all these efforts."

Minh Thai