FAO Takes Action Against Food Insecurity

By Isabella Luisa CAPELLI | LAMINE MEDIA

(Bangui, June 26, 2026 | LAMINE MEDIA) Faced with a situation that might be euphemistically termed "food insecurity"—where one in two Central Africans fails to secure even a single meal a day, despite Touadéra’s empty rhetoric regarding his "7th Republic" (little more than a publicity stunt, much like his other promises)—the FAO has decided to take the bull by the horns. On June 23, 2026, it funded Technical Cooperation Project TCP/CAF/4102, aimed at strengthening the national food safety system. This initiative falls within the framework of the 2024–2028 National Development Plan, which seeks to achieve inclusive and sustainable transformation in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. It is worth noting that food insecurity is acute during the April–August 2026 period, affecting nearly 2 million people—or 31% of the population. Of these, 1.5 million are in a crisis phase, while 262,000 are in an emergency phase. Without appropriate intervention, projections indicate that this figure could reach 2.3 million by the end of the year. Furthermore, the situation is exacerbated by rising food prices, armed conflict, population displacement, and climate shocks, as well as limited access to clean water, sanitation infrastructure, and electricity (available to only 11% of the population, and even then, only sporadically). However, the crisis in the Central African Republic must be viewed within the broader context of the African continent. IPC analysis reveals that 282 million people are suffering from hunger, representing approximately 20% of the African population. In sub-Saharan Africa, the prevalence of undernourishment stands at 24%, the highest rate in the world. In short, the FAO aims to place food safety at the heart of national priorities. Its objectives are manifold: - Strengthening national capacities through the training and equipping of relevant institutions. - Aligning the control system with international Codex Alimentarius standards. - Consolidating the role of the National Agri-food Laboratory in food quality control. - Improving inter-institutional coordination for a coherent and effective response. - Restoring consumer confidence and supporting the competitiveness of local products. At the workshop's launch, David Kadekoy, FAO Programme Officer, highlighted the initiative's significance: "Today, our shared ambition is to strengthen and harmonize the food quality and safety control system, aligning it with international standards. Your presence demonstrates the collective importance we attach to this issue, which lies at the intersection of public health, economic development, and consumer confidence." He acknowledged the efforts already undertaken by the FAO, such as equipping the Ministry of Trade with metrology and IT kits and training 30 officials from national institutions in February 2026. In turn, Dieudonné Ouefio, Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, spoke about the government's responsibility (what responsibility? The CAR has done nothing): "It is the government's duty, as part of its mandate, to ensure consumer protection and the availability of safe products on the market. Through this project, we are committed to eventually establishing a food analysis laboratory that will guarantee the quality of products placed on national, regional, and international markets." » We could—like other sites—go on and on with the usual spiel about the President of the Republic’s "grand vision" and engage in that typical Central African brand of political grandstanding, where—in a country where the mere gift of a computer triggers a red-carpet welcome, the presence of dignitaries, and a formal ceremony—others are actually doing all the real work!

For: LAMINE MEDIA (in FR and GB)

Date: June 26, 2026

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