The African Development Bank (AfDB) President, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has said that Africa is endowed with necessary partnerships and technologies to eradicate hunger and that what is needed is action and adequate funding of the agriculture sector across the continent.
Adesina made this remark during the opening session of the 8th Africa Agribusiness and Science Week (AASW) titled ‘Forum For Agricultural Research In Africa (FARA)’ Organized by the African Union Commission (AUC), the AfDB, and the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), UN’s IFAD and UNIDO as well as the European Commission (EU) with support from the South African Government in Durban, South Africa.
He stressed: “We must pull together the best of science, technology, and innovations to drive a more productive, efficient, and more competitive agricultural system.”
The renowned economist maintained that African food systems had the potential to unleash $1 trillion in value over the next seven years.
According to him, for that to be achieved, African leaders must strengthen and support the CGIAR with a lot more resources, ensure that it works in and delivers for Africa based on the continent’s priorities, and support regional research and development institutions, such as FARA and the sub-regional agricultural research organizations.
In her speech at the forum, the AUC Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture Ambassador Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, said the event could not have come at a better time, as the world is in the midst of a hunger pandemic caused by cascading factors, including Covid-19 and climate change.
The commissioner said that Africa needed to leverage its potential, including science, and be proactive rather than reactive to shocks, and urged the leaders in the continent to take advantage of its youthful population and immense natural capital.
She expatiated: “Let us unlock the potential we have… We should feed Africans and we should feed the world.”
Also, the FARA Chairperson, Alioune Fall, spoke about the linkage between climate change and agricultural production, pointing out that “climate change and its effect on the continent require new ways of doing things in almost all facets of our society.
According to her, “Africa’s young farmers would not adopt nature-based approaches unless “they are well packaged, affordable and technology-serviced.”
The 8th Africa Agribusiness and Science Week, the main continental platform for stakeholders of agriculture and agribusiness research and innovation in Africa, brings together 1,500 stakeholders every three years to take stock of progress on research and innovation, share information, create business alliances, and map out priorities for joint action. The seventh AASW was held in Kigali, Rwanda in June 2016.
The AfDB’s recent initiatives to boost African food security include the Feed Africa Summit which was held in January in Dakar, Senegal and was attended by 34 heads of state and government.
At the Summit, Adesina said: “Working with development partners from around the world and the African Union Commission, the private sector companies, and global and national agricultural research centers, we developed Food and Agricultural Delivery Compacts for 41 countries.”
He disclosed that summit partners had built on its success, mobilizing $72 billion so far, to support the national compacts.
d with necessary partnerships and technologies to eradicate hunger and that what is needed is action and adequate funding of the agriculture sector across the continent.
Adesina made this remark during the opening session of the 8th Africa Agribusiness and Science Week (AASW) titled ‘Forum For Agricultural Research In Africa (FARA)’ Organized by the African Union Commission (AUC), the AfDB, and the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), UN’s IFAD and UNIDO as well as the European Commission (EU) with support from the South African Government in Durban, South Africa.
He stressed: “We must pull together the best of science, technology, and innovations to drive a more productive, efficient, and more competitive agricultural system.”
The renowned economist maintained that African food systems had the potential to unleash $1 trillion in value over the next seven years.
According to him, for that to be achieved, African leaders must strengthen and support the CGIAR with a lot more resources, ensure that it works in and delivers for Africa based on the continent’s priorities, and support regional research and development institutions, such as FARA and the sub-regional agricultural research organizations.
In her speech at the forum, the AUC Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture Ambassador Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, said the event could not have come at a better time, as the world is in the midst of a hunger pandemic caused by cascading factors, including Covid-19 and climate change.
The commissioner said that Africa needed to leverage its potential, including science, and be proactive rather than reactive to shocks, and urged the leaders in the continent to take advantage of its youthful population and immense natural capital.
She expatiated: “Let us unlock the potential we have… We should feed Africans and we should feed the world.”
Also, the FARA Chairperson, Alioune Fall, spoke about the linkage between climate change and agricultural production, pointing out that “climate change and its effect on the continent require new ways of doing things in almost all facets of our society.
According to her, “Africa’s young farmers would not adopt nature-based approaches unless “they are well packaged, affordable and technology-serviced.”
The 8th Africa Agribusiness and Science Week, the main continental platform for stakeholders of agriculture and agribusiness research and innovation in Africa, brings together 1,500 stakeholders every three years to take stock of progress on research and innovation, share information, create business alliances, and map out priorities for joint action. The seventh AASW was held in Kigali, Rwanda in June 2016.
The AfDB’s recent initiatives to boost African food security include the Feed Africa Summit which was held in January in Dakar, Senegal and was attended by 34 heads of state and government.
At the Summit, Adesina said: “Working with development partners from around the world and the African Union Commission, the private sector companies, and global and national agricultural research centers, we developed Food and Agricultural Delivery Compacts for 41 countries.”
He disclosed that summit partners had built on its success, mobilizing $72 billion so far, to support the national compacts.
, the main continental platform for stakeholders of agriculture and agribusiness research and innovation in Africa, brings together 1,500 stakeholders every three years to take stock of progress on research and innovation, share information, create business alliances, and map out priorities for joint action. The seventh AASW was held in Kigali, Rwanda in June 2016.
The AfDB’s recent initiatives to boost African food security include the Feed Africa Summit which was held in January in Dakar, Senegal and was attended by 34 heads of state and government.
At the Summit, Adesina said: “Working with development partners from around the world and the African Union Commission, the private sector companies, and global and national agricultural research centers, we developed Food and Agricultural Delivery Compacts for 41 countries.”
He disclosed that summit partners had built on its success, mobilizing $72 billion so far, to support the national compacts.
