….. Eswatini champions youth, innovation, and investment at World Food Forum in Rome
BY MBONGENI NDLELA
ROME, ITALY — In a rousing keynote address delivered on his behalf by Prime Minister Russell Dlamini, His Majesty King Mswati III has issued a powerful call to the global community to rally behind urgent and transformative actions to end hunger, modernize agriculture, and build resilient food systems for future generations.
Speaking at the grand opening of the World Food Forum (WFF), hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as it celebrates its 80th anniversary, the King hailed the Forum as a “grand platform driving action through youth, science, innovation, and investment” toward a better food future.
“With less than five years remaining to the 2030 deadline, ‘NKWE’, our local call for urgency, remains the clarion call for us to rally around,” the King declared, urging the world to accelerate agrifood reforms.
Global Crisis, Local Leadership
The speech painted a clear picture of the three converging drivers of global food insecurity: conflict, climate extremes, and economic shocks. These, coupled with rapid population growth and urbanization, have pushed millions into hunger. Yet His Majesty noted a positive trend: the global proportion of people facing hunger has declined from 8.7% in 2022 to 8.2% in 2024, thanks to progress in Asia and South America.
However, Africa remains the most affected, with nearly 60% of the world’s hungry projected to live on the continent by 2030 if current trends persist.
Innovation and Youth at the Heart of the Solution
Highlighting this year’s theme, “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future”, His Majesty called for increased global investment in agrifood systems, emphasizing inclusive models that integrate small-scale farmers, youth, and marginalized communities.
He praised the FAO Hand-in-Hand Initiative, which has mobilized over US$16 billion globally, and urged the adoption of technologies like AI, drones, and GIS to modernize food systems. Youth participation, he said, must be “meaningful and central” to these transformations.
“The voices of the youth matter and their actions count,” His Majesty affirmed.
Eswatini’s Bold Steps
The address also spotlighted Eswatini’s own strides in transforming its agrifood systems. The Kingdom has invested in water harvesting, bulk water storage, irrigation, technology, logistics, and cold chain management to build resilience, enhance nutrition, and create jobs for its citizens.
His Majesty extended appreciation to FAO for its continued support and invited global partners and private sector players to join Eswatini in scaling up these initiatives.
A Call to Unite for a Better Future
Closing his message, His Majesty urged the world to turn the forum’s theme into action:
“To achieve better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and ultimately a better life for all, we must act together. This collective effort must leave no one behind.”
(Courtesy Pic)
