Former Chairman of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akin Adeshina, has charged African nations to invest in smallholder farmers’ enterprises across the continent to boost food supply
Adeshina gave the charge in Nairobi, Kenya, while speaking at a smallholder farmers conference held on Tuesday, aimed at scaling up financing, and investment in the agribusiness food system in Africa.
“We stand on the threshold of making history by pushing the boundaries of innovation, and building alliances to accelerate action toward bridging the financing gap facing smallholder farmers and small and medium-sized agribusinesses.
“Together, let us expand access to finance for farmers, and small and medium-sized agribusinesses. Africa must never abandon its farmers. Let us make Africa the breadbasket of the world.
“We launched ‘Mission300’ with the World Bank to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.
“Why is this important for us in agriculture? It is because whether you are a seed firm, fertilizer company, without electricity, you can’t do anything productive.
“Africa will be the epicenter of feeding the world, since 65 percent of the uncultivated arable land left in the world is in Africa. Therefore, what Africa does with its agriculture will determine the future of food in the world.
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“Smallholder farmers around the world are the same, except that those from Africa face difficult odds, and poor access to markets, finance, access to information, infrastructure, and inputs – none of which we can’t address as a collective.
“We must find an efficient way to de-risk farmers and make sure the private sector sees the industry as viable,” he said.
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Mutahi Kigwe, said if African countries prioritize innovative, practical measures, they can transform agriculture from a struggling sector to a thriving business.
“Let’s commit to ensuring that no farmers are left behind due to lack of finance,” he said.
The AfDB Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development, Beth Dunford,
stated that only six percent of African smallholder farmers can currently access credit, while less than 20 percent use improved seeds.
“Through the AfDB’s Africa emergency food production facility – our response to the disruption of food supplies arising from the Russia-Ukraine war – we provided 12 million farmers with improved seeds and fertilizers,” she disclosed.
