The Director General for Nigeria, African Development Bank (AfDB), Mr. Abdul Kamara, yesterday said it is working to facilitate the production of an additional 120 million tons of food by 2025 to tackle food insecurity in Africa.
He said the move was also expected to lift 130 million people out of poverty.
Kamara, who at spoke a side event at the 2024 West and Central Africa Regional Wheat Summit, with the theme, "Prioritizing Policy, Innovative Technologies, and Investments in Wheat Transformation towards Sustainable Food Security and Economy", in Abuja, said the continent must work towards reducing food import dependency and bolster local wheat production to secure the region's food future.
He said the Feed Africa's Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation remained major initiative by the bank to boost agricultural productivity in all parts of Africa.
He pointed out that the rising demand for food was due to population growth and urbanisation, adding that domestic production had not kept pace with consumption, leading to massive reliance on imports.
The recent geopolitical tensions, particularly the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, had worsened the situation, leading to increased vulnerability in the region's food supply.
The AfDB country director also stated that the bank's response yo food challenges was encapsulated in its Feed Africa initiative, launched in 2016.
The 10-year strategy aims to transform agriculture across the continent into a competitive agribusiness sector.
He said, "The Feed Africa's Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation is a major initiative that aims to boost agricultural productivity in all parts of Africa. This will produce an additional 120 million tons of food and lift 130 million people out of poverty."
According to him, the initiative was designed to assist over 40 million farmers by 2025, aiming to double the productivity of crops, livestock, and fisheries.
Kamara stressed that wheat remained a staple food for millions across the continent and plays an essential role in ensuring food security and driving economic growth.
He expressed optimism that the challenges faced in food production would be turned into opportunities and create a prosperous wheat sector that serves the needs of the people.
He further urged stakeholders to engage in discussions aimed at building resilient agricultural systems capable of supporting Africa's food security and economic growth.
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Head of the TAAT Clearinghouse, Dr. Solomon Gizaw highlighted the pressing demand for wheat, adding that consumption in Sub-Saharan Africa had surged by over six per cent in the past decade.
He emphasised the need for strategic investments in the wheat value chain, stating that countries including Nigeria and Cameroon are formulating National Wheat Road Maps to enhance domestic production.
Gizaw said, "Over the past six years, TAAT has successfully distributed heat-tolerant wheat varieties and other crops to over 12 million farmers, leading to an estimated increase in crop production of 25 million tonnes."
The two-day summit aims to foster partnerships among governments, research institutions, and the private sector to create a sustainable wheat industry in the region.
