The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has initiated a review of its regional food security storage strategy, with the first meeting of the Steering Committee taking place today in Abuja, Nigeria. This effort is aimed at adapting to new challenges in food, nutrition, and pastoral security across West Africa and the Sahel.
Since its establishment in 2011, the ECOWAS regional food security storage strategy has been structured around three main pillars: addressing cyclical food crises for vulnerable populations through storage solutions, improving market functions to reduce price volatility, and implementing social safety nets for those with structural livelihood deficits.
Over the past decade, progress has been noted through effective local stock management by producer organizations, national storage strategies by member states, and structuring of the Regional Food Security Reserve (RFSR). The RFSR has supported 22 interventions since its inception, aiding 4.3 million vulnerable individuals.
Despite these advancements, challenges remain due to worsening conditions in food and nutrition security driven by conflicts, economic shocks, pandemics, climate crises, and limited access to public services. The revision aims to enhance regional capacity for sustainable crisis prevention and management.
The restricted steering committee's responsibilities include guiding work on the strategy's revision process and ensuring alignment with ECOWAP 2035 post-Malabo review processes. They will also validate proposals submitted to ECOWAS statutory bodies.
This initial meeting will clarify the Steering Committee's role while presenting objectives and methodologies for reviewing current strategies. It will also assess phase one implementation outcomes of the regional food security storage strategy. Future discussions will address specific concerns guiding further technical reviews.
Key goals of this review involve aligning the regional storage strategy with ECOWAP@2035 priorities, adjusting RFSR intervention areas along with crisis response tools and procedures while optimizing institutional arrangements for coherence and sustainability.
Mr. Mohamed Zongo from the Regional Agriculture and Food Agency (RAAF), speaking on behalf of Mrs Massandjé TOURE-LITSE—ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture—urged committee members to actively engage in discussions toward achieving beneficial results region-wide.
Through this initiative alongside partners like UEMOA, CILSS RESOGEST as well as international entities such as European Union AFD AECID World Bank etc., ECOWAS continues reaffirming its commitment towards bolstering food nutrition security within West Africa Sahel regions particularly among vulnerable groups.
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