Food, Farmers and Leadership - MWF 2023

Tuesday, August 1st, 2023, time is 11:06am at the Omni Shoreham Hotel - Washington D.C, specifically in the Blue Room, which is located on the east-end of the hotel, there I stood on stage dressed in my best-all-black kaftan to a rousing applause. Focused but with a million thoughts running through my mind, I look to my right and see my fellows who are family at this point, so I smile while focusing on them. 

Now this was not my first time on a stage such as this, I have had the opportunity to present at the UNFAO's Africa Climate Week in Accra and on other platforms typically pitching or selling an idea to investors. But it felt different this time, as I was not asking for funding or looking to validate a business idea.

What got me here? You may ask. Let’s backtrack a bit, I was privileged to be selected to be a part of the 2023 Mandela Washington Fellowship for the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) from Ghana. Placed in the Leadership in Public Management track at the Texas Tech University (TTU), Lubbock, I had completed a 6-week program that encompassed academic sessions, site-visits, networking events and leadership sessions. 

As part of the program, I was selected by cohort members after the Ignite Talk (TedX styled). Listening to other fellows talk about topics that they were passionate about was inspiring. I had an idea to link my interests; food, farmers, agriculture sustainability with the reason we had all been selected to be part of 700 fellows across Africa. Then remembered a concept I developed in 2013 dubbed “Lead-A-Ship” and titled my presentation “Food, Farmers and Leadership”. 

So there I stood, having been selected to give this talk in a room of over 200 other fellows from various universities across the United States of America to present same. Taking inspiration from speeches from my cohort, I adapted bits of their speeches (with permission). I noticed how intertwined the challenges confronting each of our nations were somehow connected to food and agriculture. So I smiled, and waited for the applause to simmer down a bit, all while grateful for an opportunity to share what my TTU family believed would be a good speech.

“if you eat, you are involved in agriculture”, solving the issues related to food security in Africa demands leadership. The speech broke down the word into three “LEAD-A-SHIP” to connote a Captain leading a ship and its crew to their designated location amidst challenges. When we examine the problem of food security, we see not just a crisis but also a chance to empower the vulnerable, lift up entire communities, and promote sustainable development. We must lead with a strong sense of obligation, compassion, and dedication to the welfare of all Africans especially farmers (I’m biased). 

Realizing how complex the issue of food security is, is the first step in finding a solution. Producing more food is not the only solution; a comprehensive strategy that takes into account a number of interrelated issues is needed. Leadership must be informed by a multifaceted grasp of the issues, which range from finance, infrastructure and market access to climate change and agricultural methods. We can only create successful plans by fully appreciating the subtleties.

Collaboration is also a cornerstone of effective leadership. No single nation or organization can tackle the issue of food security alone. Our leadership must involve partnerships that transcend borders, governments, and sectors. By pooling resources, sharing knowledge, and coordinating efforts, we can amplify our impact and achieve collective success. Here, I noted the need for leaders in business, civic engagement to collaborate on all fronts. Equally important is the empowerment of local communities. True leadership is not about imposing solutions from the top down but about fostering self-reliance and ownership at the grassroots level. Providing farmers with training, access to credit, and modern agricultural tools enables them to become champions of food security within their own communities.

As leaders, we have the unique opportunity to be catalysts for change, to steer our nations towards a future where hunger is eradicated, where communities thrive, and where every individual enjoys the fundamental right to food. Let us commit ourselves to this noble cause, working hand in hand to transform the challenges of today into the triumphs of tomorrow. To end, I ask WHAT DOES HUNGER MEAN TO YOU? 

 

"the best culture is agriculture"

- Akwasi Tagoe