Browsing: Food production in Africa

• The second Africa Food Summit held in Dakar has ended with development partners committing US$30 billion to back the continent’s resolve to boost agricultural productivity.
• The summit was a key moment in Africa’s ability to feed itself and achieve food self-sufficiency and food sovereignty.

The second Africa Food Summit held in Dakar, Senegal has ended with development partners committing US$30 billion to back the continent’s resolve to boost agricultural productivity and become a global breadbasket. The summit was organized by the Senegalese government and the African Development Bank and rallied dozens of dignitaries, including 34 heads of state and government, 70 government ministers, and development partners.

The major theme of the summit ‘Feed Africa: food sovereignty and resilience.’ Which was that African countries need to increase their food production capacity, rather than relying heavily on imports that have left them vulnerable to price spikes and shortages. The continent is facing …

Idris Elba and Sabrina Dhowre Elba were honoured with the 2023 Crystal Award at the World Economic Forum in Davos for their leadership in advocating for poor small-scale farmers worldwide. The Crystal Award recognizes exceptional artists and cultural leaders whose contributions to society have made a tangible impact on improving the state of the world.

As Goodwill Ambassadors for the United Nations’ International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) since 2020, the Elbas have been vocal supporters of greater investment in agriculture and rural development, particularly in Africa, where severe weather events and conflicts have further impacted farmers’ ability to produce food for their families, communities, and countries. Despite the vital role these farmers play in ensuring global food security, 75 percent of the world’s hungry and poorest people live in rural areas of developing countries.

The Importance of Small-Scale Farmers in Africa

Small-scale farmers play a vital role in feeding …

The potential for Africa to feed the world cannot be underestimated. IFAD’s The Field Report indicates that a quarter of the world’s arable land is found in sub-Saharan Africa yet the region produces only 10 per cent of the world’s agricultural output. 

Sadly for Africa, rural poverty keeps driving people away from the countryside to the cities in search of a better life. Year after year, cities that have become overcrowded are putting the vulnerable at risk with forced migration. 

Globally, there will be more than 9 billion people on earth by 2050 which is an extra two billion mouths to feed. 

If policies are right, Africa is primed to tap into the opportunity offered by this population growth. IFAD indicates that economic growth from agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa is 11 times more effective at reducing extreme poverty than any other sector. African governments have to get their priorities right. …