The conference on African Green
Revolution Forum (AGRF) ended on Saturday in Kigali with adoption of
commitments to deliver billions of dollars in new investments to African
farms and agribusinesses.
Revolution Forum (AGRF) ended on Saturday in Kigali with adoption of
commitments to deliver billions of dollars in new investments to African
farms and agribusinesses.
The continent’s most influential
gathering also committed to triple agriculture trade between African
countries, and forge new partnerships with a cast of development
partners including China, India, Brazil, and Israel.
gathering also committed to triple agriculture trade between African
countries, and forge new partnerships with a cast of development
partners including China, India, Brazil, and Israel.
The meeting also featured the launch of
an aggressive new consortium to defeat the invasion of the fall armyworm
now threatening up to US $6 billion of damage to African maize, sorghum
and other critical food crops.
an aggressive new consortium to defeat the invasion of the fall armyworm
now threatening up to US $6 billion of damage to African maize, sorghum
and other critical food crops.
In addition, a new multi-billion dollar
irrigation initiative could bring a new level of stability to Africa’s
rain-fed farming regions.
irrigation initiative could bring a new level of stability to Africa’s
rain-fed farming regions.
The forum attracted 2800 delegates from around the world.
It’s theme of ‘Lead, ‘Measure, Grow’
highlighted the critical importance of political leadership and
rigorous, honest assessments of progress in the agriculture sector for
achieving growth that can spread across the entire economy.
highlighted the critical importance of political leadership and
rigorous, honest assessments of progress in the agriculture sector for
achieving growth that can spread across the entire economy.
“The aspirations for African agriculture
are extremely high across the continent, and progress as usual is not
enough to achieve them,” said Agnes Kalibata, President of the Alliance
for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA.
are extremely high across the continent, and progress as usual is not
enough to achieve them,” said Agnes Kalibata, President of the Alliance
for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA.
“Partners from across the region and
around the world are becoming equally ambitious with their commitments
and then demonstrating their ability to follow through,” she added.
around the world are becoming equally ambitious with their commitments
and then demonstrating their ability to follow through,” she added.
A crucial goal for AGRF 2018 was to
secure greater investments for African farmers and agriculture
businesses. And the community rose to the challenge.
secure greater investments for African farmers and agriculture
businesses. And the community rose to the challenge.
Meanwhile, a coalition that included the
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the European
Union, the Government of Luxembourg, and AGRA laid plans for an
ambitious alliance that has the potential to consolidate
tens of millions of dollars in new investments for commercial
agriculture ventures in Africa, with a strong focus on attracting youth.
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the European
Union, the Government of Luxembourg, and AGRA laid plans for an
ambitious alliance that has the potential to consolidate
tens of millions of dollars in new investments for commercial
agriculture ventures in Africa, with a strong focus on attracting youth.
Also, IFAD’s President, Gilbert Houngbo,
said IFAD anticipates delivering a total of $3.5 billion in new
investments over the next few years, half of which will flow to Africa.
said IFAD anticipates delivering a total of $3.5 billion in new
investments over the next few years, half of which will flow to Africa.
In addition, officials from the African
Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) detailed the launch of the US $50
million investing in Women fund that already has secured a $6.42 million
dollar commitment from the United Kingdom’s Department
for International Development (DFID).
Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) detailed the launch of the US $50
million investing in Women fund that already has secured a $6.42 million
dollar commitment from the United Kingdom’s Department
for International Development (DFID).
Strive Masiyiwa, founder and chairman,
ECONET Group, and chair of the AGRF Partners Group, said that starting
with the 2016 AGRF in Nairobi, commitments to transforming Africa’s
poorly performing farmers into poverty fighting
powerhouses now tops US $60 billion.
ECONET Group, and chair of the AGRF Partners Group, said that starting
with the 2016 AGRF in Nairobi, commitments to transforming Africa’s
poorly performing farmers into poverty fighting
powerhouses now tops US $60 billion.
“There is something going on out there
and our young people are beginning to turn their heads and see the
possibilities in agriculture,” he said. “They are beginning to realise
that we can’t have a paradox where the average age
(of the population) is 19 years but for our farmers it is approaching
60.”
and our young people are beginning to turn their heads and see the
possibilities in agriculture,” he said. “They are beginning to realise
that we can’t have a paradox where the average age
(of the population) is 19 years but for our farmers it is approaching
60.”
Trade emerged as an area that could
supercharge the sector. The recent establishment of Africa’s Continental
Free Trade Area (CFTA), the largest free trade pact since the creation
of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), animated
discussions around the potential for reforms—documented at the meeting
with the launch of the new African Agricultural Trade Status
Monitor—that could triple trade in agriculture commodities between
African countries.
supercharge the sector. The recent establishment of Africa’s Continental
Free Trade Area (CFTA), the largest free trade pact since the creation
of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), animated
discussions around the potential for reforms—documented at the meeting
with the launch of the new African Agricultural Trade Status
Monitor—that could triple trade in agriculture commodities between
African countries.
“Trade is a driver of growth and we know
that when we trade in agriculture, it drives growth from the bottom up,”
said Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic
Commission for Africa.
that when we trade in agriculture, it drives growth from the bottom up,”
said Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic
Commission for Africa.
William Ruto, Deputy President of Kenya,
said consolidating the CFTA will give African countries the “platform
and the muscle” they need to negotiate as equals with trade blocs like
the European Union.
said consolidating the CFTA will give African countries the “platform
and the muscle” they need to negotiate as equals with trade blocs like
the European Union.
But he also wants to see African
countries focusing more attention on the neglected opportunities with
their neighbours next door.
countries focusing more attention on the neglected opportunities with
their neighbours next door.
“Why struggle to access the markets in
Europe when we can’t access the market next door,” Ruto said. “We have
made it easier to export to Europe than to export to Ghana or Rwanda.”
Europe when we can’t access the market next door,” Ruto said. “We have
made it easier to export to Europe than to export to Ghana or Rwanda.”
AGRF 2018 also highlighted new agriculture partnerships emerging with China, Israel, India, and Brazil.
The forum occurred right on the heels of
the historic 2018 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing
that featured an unprecedented package of agriculture investments and
technical assistance programs flowing from China
to Africa.
the historic 2018 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing
that featured an unprecedented package of agriculture investments and
technical assistance programs flowing from China
to Africa.
Wu Hongyao of China’s Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Affairs confirmed the new partnerships, noting
that they will include major initiatives with ten agriculture
universities in Africa and the construction of new agriculture
demonstration centres and agriculture-focused industrial parks.
Agriculture and Rural Affairs confirmed the new partnerships, noting
that they will include major initiatives with ten agriculture
universities in Africa and the construction of new agriculture
demonstration centres and agriculture-focused industrial parks.
Israel emerged as an increasingly
familiar face in African agriculture. At the Forum, a new memorandum of
understanding (MOU) was signed between AGRA and Israel’s Volcani
International Partnerships to pursue a number of initiatives,
including an Israeli-Africa Agriculture Innovation Centre to be hosted
jointly by Volcani and Israel’s Agriculture Research Organization.
familiar face in African agriculture. At the Forum, a new memorandum of
understanding (MOU) was signed between AGRA and Israel’s Volcani
International Partnerships to pursue a number of initiatives,
including an Israeli-Africa Agriculture Innovation Centre to be hosted
jointly by Volcani and Israel’s Agriculture Research Organization.
At the summit, a new Farmer-led
Irrigation for smallholder farming enterprises was announced. The
ambitious program will seek to deliver US $9 billion in technologies,
public investment, commercial financing, and capacity building,
which will enable individual smallholders, as individuals or
cooperatives, to afford, own, operate and benefit from irrigation
systems.
Irrigation for smallholder farming enterprises was announced. The
ambitious program will seek to deliver US $9 billion in technologies,
public investment, commercial financing, and capacity building,
which will enable individual smallholders, as individuals or
cooperatives, to afford, own, operate and benefit from irrigation
systems.
Source: The new times
