By Abdullahi Lukman
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to tackling hunger, creating jobs and strengthening agricultural resilience in Africa through the Mattei Plan, with food security positioned as a central pillar of Rome’s partnership with the continent.
Meloni made the remarks in a video address to the 2026 World Food Forum, hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome, where she outlined Italy’s strategy for supporting agricultural development and improving food production across Africa.
She said the Mattei Plan aims to modernise agriculture, increase local food production and expand employment opportunities for young Africans while helping countries adapt their farming systems to climate change.
According to the Italian prime minister, food security goes beyond producing sufficient food to include the capacity of countries to process, distribute and manage their food supplies independently.
Meloni described agricultural development as essential to economic growth, national sovereignty and geopolitical stability, stressing the importance of enabling African countries to strengthen their domestic food systems.
She noted that although global hunger had declined for three consecutive years, approximately 645 million people still faced hunger, with Africa accounting for the largest share.
“The problem is not a lack of land, but a lack of tools to make it productive,” she said, highlighting the need for improved agricultural technology, infrastructure and expertise.
Meloni also reaffirmed Italy’s longstanding cooperation with the FAO, particularly in responding to food emergencies, and expressed readiness to share the country’s expertise in agriculture and food processing with African partners.
The Mattei Plan forms part of Italy’s broader effort to deepen cooperation with African countries through partnerships focused on economic development, agricultural productivity and mutually beneficial investment.
Meloni said strengthening local production and improving countries’ capacity to manage their own food systems would be critical to reducing hunger and building long-term food security across the continent.
