Jimoh Babatunde
11 November 2009
A groundbreaking partnership that will link African governments' commitment to agricultural development with concrete programs in seeds, soil health, policy, and markets was launched in Abuja on Monday between The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)
"This partnership will enable African countries to close the gap between intentions and actions on behalf of smallholder farmers," said Mr Kofi A Annan, Chairman of AGRA and former Secretary-General of the United Nations.
"NEPAD has mobilised public support among African governments to prioritise and invest in agriculture. AGRA develops and disseminates the technologies farmers need; bolsters policy reform; builds markets and involves the private sector. Our combined efforts will be a strong force for change across Africa." he stated
Based on the Memorandum of Understanding, the two organisations will join forces to work directly with national governments and partners across the agricultural value chain in a comprehensive effort to increase the productivity of small holder farmers growing Africa's staple food crops. They will focus particularly on plans to develop high potential breadbasket areas of African countries.
"An African strategy that increases the productivity of smallholder farmers is crucial to reaching our goal of 6 per cent annual agricultural growth," said Dr Ibrahim Mayaki, Chief Executive Officer of NEPAD, who signed the Memorandum with AGRA.
NEPAD works closely with African governments to implement the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP), a framework to accelerate economic growth and boost food security through greater investments in agriculture. Endorsed by African leaders, CAADP calls on African governments to allocate 10 per cent of their national budgets to agriculture, in order to achieve 6 per cent annual agricultural growth. AGRA is a partnership-based organisation whose integrated programs in seeds, soil health, market access and policy work to increase productivity.
Read comments. Write your own.
Copyright © 2009 Vanguard. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
A very interesting and thoughtful article. The best way for Africa to help itself with GHG is to stop exporting oil and gas to the outside world. Gas that is valuable enough to ship abroad and sell should be sold at a price that is competitive enough to keep it home. Catch all of that gas, and use it for yourselves. You will then have electricity and cooking fuel both. It is maddening to see forests felled for charcoal cooking fuel while cleaner-to-use gas is being wasted. Each of your nations should try to be the last to run out of fuel. Move to solar, wind, geothermal and biofuels from wastes for your energy sources.
Other activities to fight climate change troubles include the restoration of your waterways to full functionality by clearing the weeds that clog them and the silt that they have left behind.
Just a factual correction. Nigerian LNG is not sold to Benin, Togo and Ghana. There is a gas pipeline from Nigeria to these three countries. But it does not carry LNG. It carries natural gas under pressure. Unfortunately, becuse there is insufficient gas being gathered and shipped from Nigeria, the pipeline has been empty for over a year.
In today's climate talk that's going and will be converse more in December must not be damaging to Africa. Together, Africa MUST STAND FIRMLY and get what she deserves - BETTER and LASTING AGREEMENT. That's, what is beneficial for Africa. Any negativities effects concerning our people standard of living MUST NOT be accepted by any Africa Government. The days of a/an African Live seeing as less than an insect or any other most be OVER and SHOULD NOT be negotiated in any Climate talks. Our "Africans" lives and living standard is/are as important as any other lives. Therefore, as Africans head to the climate talk in December, please open your ears, listen carefully, don't be trick, and don't accept anything lesser to solve your prombles for the betterness of your people in the whole of Africa - period !!!!! The days of damaging Africans' lives, enviroment, living conditions; the physical and metal abuses should and most all come to an end. Therefore, we "Africans" should not be conveince with their sweet tooth to accept something lesser where'in our people keep continue to suffer and die for their pleasures and the lack of consideration for Africans lives and living standards. God Bless Africa
See all comments (3).
Active Discussions: Climate Change News