New push to attain zero hunger in Africa

BUSINESS REPORTER

African Heads of States and ministers meet in Senegal for the second edition of the African Food Summit (Dakar 2) to galvanise political support for the transformation of agriculture which the continent sees as a bridge out of poverty.

The summit to be hosted by President Macky Sall from January 25 to 27 comes as Africa is battling with food shortages worsened by the Russia-Ukraine war.

The high-level Dakar 2 summit, themed ‘Unleashing Africa’s Food Potential,’ co-convened by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the International Fund for Agricultural Research, will attract African Heads of State, ministers of Finance and Agriculture as well as several global development partners.

The summit, which comes nearly seven years after the inaugural one that was hosted by President Sall in 2015, is expected to come up with commitments from African leaders on country food and agriculture delivery compacts, Presidential Councils for Food and Agriculture Delivery Compacts and financing frameworks for delivering Country Food and Agriculture Delivery Compacts to achieve zero hunger.

Experts say Africa requires between US$28.5bn and US$36.6bn annually to achieve zero hunger.

With the removal of barriers to agricultural development aided by new investments, it is estimated that Africa’s agricultural output could increase to US$1 trillion per year by 2030 from US$280bn.

Beggars on a beach of gold

Despite having 65% of the remaining arable land to feed 9 billion people in the world by 2050, the continent cannot produce enough food and imports over 100 million metric tons of food at the cost of US$75bn.

AfDB president Akinwumi Adesina said last month it was “inexcusable” that a continent with 65% of the world’s most arable land and abundant water resources, “would still suffer from food insecurity”.

“We have the technologies, platforms, and resources to change the status quo by energising the private sector, scaling up food production for millions of African farmers, unlocking finance for farmers and agricultural SMEs, and transforming the agriculture and food value chains,” he said.

The Russia-Ukraine war has led to disruption in supply of food supplies with Africa facing a shortage of at least 30m metric tons of food, especially wheat, maize, and soybeans imported from both countries.

Ukraine and Russia supply 30% of the world’s wheat, 20% of the world’s potash – a key fertiliser and nearly half of blended fertiliser.

Last year, the AfDB unveiled a US$1.5bn facility meant to raise food production in Africa to plug supply deficits caused by the war in Eastern Europe.

The African Emergency Food Production Facility will lead to the production of 11m tonnes of wheat, 18m tonnes of maize, 6m tonnes of rice and 2.5m tonnes of soybeans.

It will provide 20m farmers with certified seeds, fertiliser, and extension services.

It will also support market growth and post-harvest management, according to the AfDB.

Of that facility, Zimbabwe received US$25.56m grant which will distribute seed and fertilisers to 180000 beneficiaries to help Zimbabwe enhance domestic food production and supply.