7.2.2023
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
C 47/163 Wednesday 6 July 2022
54.
Notes the importance of the strategic linkages between Africa and Europe, building on the progress made in the African Union (AU)-EU rural transformation action agenda; recalls the European Parliament's resolution of 16 September 2020 on EU-African security cooperation in the Sahel region, West Africa and the Horn of Africa that recalled that food insecurity is often a root cause of terrorism and armed conflict; calls therefore for full integration of the humanitarian-development- peace nexus approach in security strategies in third countries which requires supporting the provision of basic services, including food security, with the involvement of local communities;
55.
Recalls that, by 2030, the Great Green Wall initiative in Africa's Sahel region aims to restore 100 million hectares of currently degraded land, sequester 250 million tons of carbon and create 10 million jobs in rural areas which together should support 15 out of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, reduce poverty and hunger, build local resilience to climate change, improve health and well-being, create jobs and boost economic growth;
56.
Invites the EU to expand support for national social protection systems, including cash-based, shock-responsive social assistance to address income inequality in a conflict-sensitive manner and in accordance with the do no harm principle, and to protect food access for the most vulnerable by increasing their purchasing power;
57.
Supports the establishment of a financial facility to help African countries bridge the existing funding gap to urgently develop social protection plans, whether it is through the upcoming Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection or through the creation of a Global Fund on Social Protection;
58.
Underlines the importance of supporting and promoting knowledge sharing and peer learning, such as farmer-to-farmer and business-to-business, in the areas of production, processing and marketing; points out the central importance of the agricultural and food sectors in the economy and in providing decent and sustainable job opportunities in rural areas; underlines that this in most cases concerns smallholdings and family farms; notes the importance of promoting and enhancing measures and tools to support increasing product quality, diversification of products, sustainable modernisation of agricultural practices, safe working conditions and measures to strengthen the resilience of farmers:
59.
Notes that gender inequalities limit agricultural productivity and efficiency and, therefore, undermine development; recalls that women and girls’ empowerment is crucial for nutrition, preserving health, food security and resilience-building; points out that strengthening the role of women and girls remains a challenge for agriculture and for food and nutrition security; calls on the European Commission and Member States to support women's entrepreneurship, employment and political representation, ensure the inclusion of gender perspective in the management of food security and ensure the participation of women in the decision-making process related to this field, including those women belonging to discriminated minorities;
60.
Urges the EU and its Member States to strive, notably through development aid, to help addressing the discriminations women face, notably regarding access of women farmers to land, productive resources and financial services; recalls that in Africa, for example, almost half of agricultural work is done by women, while women farmers are mostly small or subsistence farmers who do not have the necessary access to information, credit, land, resources or technology; encourages the advancement of inheritance rights for women and girls and calls on the EU to support partner countries, particularly regarding their recognition of women’s full entitlement to land rights; urges the European Commission and Member States to promote gender-transformative approaches to agriculture, fishing and food systems through capacity building for rural women, specific policy reforms to have fairer land tenure laws as well as specific initiatives focused on economic empowerment and access to finance, as stated in the Gender Action Plan III;