Posted on September, 9, 2024 at 08:48 am
Rwanda President Paul Kagame has commended the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), under the leadership of former Ethiopian PM Hailemariam Dessalegn as Board Chair and AGRA President Dr. Agnes Kalibata for ensuring that Africa projects a clear voice on future of food systems.
“The production of food is the foundation of our economies, and indeed of life itself. In Africa most of our people work in agriculture and agri-business. Significant gains have been made in recent years to make our food systems more resilient and productive but there is still so much room to grow, and make our farmers more productive and therefore more wealthy,” Kagame said.
President Kagame added that “Higher productivity also means lower food prices for consumers, which has direct impact on poverty and inflation. This forum has highlighted key strategies for speeding up progress, especially digital and tech applications and attracting more private investment into agriculture.”
He said Rwanda was proud to host the Africa Food Systems Forum in Rwanda.
Friday marked the successful conclusion of a four-day Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali, which united over 5,000 delegates, 38 smallholder farmer groups, 97 countries, 302 speakers, 882 youth, 7 former heads of state, 37 ministers and 149 members of the press. Significant commitments were made, partnerships formed, and investments mobilized, marking a renewed commitment to the transformation of Africa’s food systems.
” I commend the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), under the leadership of former Ethiopian PM Hailemariam Dessalegn as Board Chair Hailemariam Dessalegn, and AGRA president Dr. Agnes Kalibata for ensuring that Africa projects a clear voice on the future of food systems,” Kagame told delegates via video link. (CLICK TO WATCH VIDEO)
The net result of the forum should be to catalyze and sustain inclusive agriculture transformation in Africa by increasing incomes and improving food security for 30 million smallholder households.
There was also a call to shift agriculture from a social sector to a commercial sector, and a focus on policy for the Gen Z. Delegates observed that policy should be designed to fit GenZ.
“Old fashion Western ways of designing policies need to be abandoned. Policies need to be anchored on populations and people that live the policy. Their response; from GENZ to Indigenous communities, must be the real basis of our national policies and implementation mechanisms,” an official said.
In his closing remarks, AGRA Board Chair Hailemariam Dessalegn, said that, “no single entity can achieve the scale of change required. Transformation requires all of us—governments, private sector, civil society, and international partners—to work together in a spirit of true partnership and collaboration. We must leverage our collective strengths, share knowledge and resources, and commit to sustained and coordinated action.”
“Africa Food systems has not received the political commitment and investments it deserves! We must ensure access to health nutritious food to all. We must tap into African youth to help develop and sustain innovation ecosystems in Food Systems” Hailemariam told delegates.
Established in 2006, AGRA is an African-led and Africa-based institution dedicated to placing smallholder farmers at the core of the continent’s burgeoning economy. AGRA’s mission is to transform agriculture from a mere struggle for survival into a thriving business. In collaboration with its partners, AGRA catalyzes and sustains an inclusive agricultural transformation aimed at increasing incomes and enhancing food security in 11 countries.
AGRA President Kalibata sets the pace
Kigali last week was the epicentre of Africa’s agricultural transformation as experts, policymakers, and private sector leaders gathered for a critical roundtable on the African Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan (AFSH-AP) and the Soil Initiative for Africa (SIA).
The event, co-hosted by the Coalition of Implementors for Fertilizers and Soil Health (CIFSH) and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) in partnership with the Joint Development Partners, brought to light the pressing challenges and opportunities in securing Africa’s agricultural future.
Among the highlights was the launch of the AASR report.
“The timely launch of the African Agricultural Status Report is of paramount importance. His Excellency Hailemariam has rightly emphasized its significance as one of the most influential documents in the agricultural sector,” said AGRA President Dr Kalibata.
Dr Kalibata pointed out that Tanzania’s legacy program last year, for example, set a strong foundation for food systems, showing how government commitment can drive change. Now, Sierra Leone has the potential to become a powerhouse in food security, she reassured.
“We look at this (legacy programs) as opportunities for countries to step up and work faster – we are at a time where we need each other more than we have ever – where trade is an essential means to how we source our food. When I was minister of agriculture Rwanda benefited from seeds from Zambia – Zambia has advanced in producing seeds and has been a learning hub for other countries,” she said.
Source: The Independent