The African Development Bank (AfDB) has
called on global partners to join hands to lift one billion people
worldwide out of hunger.
called on global partners to join hands to lift one billion people
worldwide out of hunger.
It said it was leading the way by
investing US$24 billion in African agriculture over the next 10 years in
the largest such effort ever.
investing US$24 billion in African agriculture over the next 10 years in
the largest such effort ever.
“We are not winning the war against
global hunger,” Bank President Akinwumi Adesina told an agriculture
conference at Purdue University in Indianapolis.
global hunger,” Bank President Akinwumi Adesina told an agriculture
conference at Purdue University in Indianapolis.
“We must not get carried away,” he added,
referring to statistics showing a decline in the global population
living on less than two dollars per day.
referring to statistics showing a decline in the global population
living on less than two dollars per day.
In reality, the number of hungry people
in the world had increased from 777 million in 2015 to 815 million in
2016, he said citing the latest World Food Security and Nutrition data.
in the world had increased from 777 million in 2015 to 815 million in
2016, he said citing the latest World Food Security and Nutrition data.
Adesina told the audience that included
researchers, implementing organizations, business leaders, policymakers
and donors that simple technical and scientific methods were already
making a whole difference to farm yields and
income in Africa.
researchers, implementing organizations, business leaders, policymakers
and donors that simple technical and scientific methods were already
making a whole difference to farm yields and
income in Africa.
While such technologies to deliver Africa’s green revolution exist, they are mostly just sitting on the shelves, he said.
“The release of water efficient maize
varieties now allows farmers to harvest good yields in the face of
moderate drought,” he noted.
varieties now allows farmers to harvest good yields in the face of
moderate drought,” he noted.
“Today, rice varieties exist that can
give yields of 8 tonnes per ha. Cassava varieties exist with yields of
up to 80 tonnes per ha. Heat tolerant and disease resistant livestock
and technologies for ramping up aquaculture exist.”
give yields of 8 tonnes per ha. Cassava varieties exist with yields of
up to 80 tonnes per ha. Heat tolerant and disease resistant livestock
and technologies for ramping up aquaculture exist.”
Bank experts put current comparative yields at 1.5-2 tonnes per ha for rice and 10-15 tonnes per ha for cassava.
What was needed urgently was deployment of supportive policies to ensure technologies are cascaded down to millions of farmers.
“All Africa needs to do is to harness the
available technologies with the right policies and rapidly raise
agricultural productivity and incomes for farmers and assure lower food
prices for consumers.”
available technologies with the right policies and rapidly raise
agricultural productivity and incomes for farmers and assure lower food
prices for consumers.”
The Bank has launched its Technologies
for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), a $1 billion initiative
to extend the use of farm technologies. TAAT is currently engaging seed
companies, public and private entities, and
financial institutions in 27 countries to make technology available to a
total of 40 million African farmers.
for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), a $1 billion initiative
to extend the use of farm technologies. TAAT is currently engaging seed
companies, public and private entities, and
financial institutions in 27 countries to make technology available to a
total of 40 million African farmers.
Combining targeted subsidies for farmers
with a market-based system for rapidly expanding access to financing for
farmers and agricultural value chains is the fastest way to get many
people out of poverty to a sustained pathway
for economic growth, Adesina added.
with a market-based system for rapidly expanding access to financing for
farmers and agricultural value chains is the fastest way to get many
people out of poverty to a sustained pathway
for economic growth, Adesina added.
“It was here, as a graduate student, that
I began the journey of searching for ways to get technologies into the
hands of millions of farmers,” he said.
I began the journey of searching for ways to get technologies into the
hands of millions of farmers,” he said.
Adesina was to go on to make a huge
impact on the transformation of agriculture in Africa, including
implementing game-changing policies in his years as Nigeria’s Minister
for Agriculture and Rural Development before taking up
his post at the Bank in September 2015.
impact on the transformation of agriculture in Africa, including
implementing game-changing policies in his years as Nigeria’s Minister
for Agriculture and Rural Development before taking up
his post at the Bank in September 2015.
Adesina said the situation in Sub-Saharan Africa needed particularly urgent intervention due to the ravages of climate change.
The International Food Policy Research
Institute estimates that Africa will add 38 million to its number of
hungry people by 2050 as a result of climate change.
The Institute forecasts that Africa will experience major food
shortages by 2020 and beyond, while malnutrition will be on the rise
over the next 20 years.
Institute estimates that Africa will add 38 million to its number of
hungry people by 2050 as a result of climate change.
The Institute forecasts that Africa will experience major food
shortages by 2020 and beyond, while malnutrition will be on the rise
over the next 20 years.
The Bank’s ongoing initiatives had the
objectives of growing income for farmers, stabilizing prices for staple
crops, reducing losses and stimulating multiplier effects in local
economies.
objectives of growing income for farmers, stabilizing prices for staple
crops, reducing losses and stimulating multiplier effects in local
economies.
With its Staple Crop Processing Zones and other initiatives, the Bank is demonstrating how this can be done.
“The African Development Bank put feeding
Africa as one of its topmost priorities when it launched its Feed
Africa strategy in 2015 and is investing $ 24 billion in agriculture for
Africa over 10 years – the largest ever such
effort,” the Bank President said.
Africa as one of its topmost priorities when it launched its Feed
Africa strategy in 2015 and is investing $ 24 billion in agriculture for
Africa over 10 years – the largest ever such
effort,” the Bank President said.
Adesina called for global partnerships to establish Staple Crop Processing Zones across Africa.
“The SCPZs will provide several
advantages for rural economies. They will create markets for farm
produce. Raw materials will no longer be moved out of rural areas, but
as finished value-added products. Post-harvest losses will
be substantially reduced. Well integrated agricultural value chains
will develop, with supportive logistics, especially warehousing and cold
chains,” Adesina added.
advantages for rural economies. They will create markets for farm
produce. Raw materials will no longer be moved out of rural areas, but
as finished value-added products. Post-harvest losses will
be substantially reduced. Well integrated agricultural value chains
will develop, with supportive logistics, especially warehousing and cold
chains,” Adesina added.
The African Development
Bank has already started investments to develop these SCPZs in a number
of pioneering African countries, including Ethiopia, Togo, Democratic
Republic of Congo and
Mozambique. It expects the processing zones to be active in about 15
countries in the near-term.
Bank has already started investments to develop these SCPZs in a number
of pioneering African countries, including Ethiopia, Togo, Democratic
Republic of Congo and
Mozambique. It expects the processing zones to be active in about 15
countries in the near-term.
