Ekeomah Atuonwu
Contrary to reports of a looming food crisis, the African Development Bank (AfDB) believes that Africa will not face a food crisis.
Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the AfDB Group, made the assurance during a press conference ahead of the Bank’s 2022 Annual Meetings in Accra, Ghana.
Adesina stated that the Bank was prepared with plans to avert any impending food crisis.
The president noted that his conviction was based on the AfDB’s ‘High 5’ programs, which centered on Feed Africa.
“Our Feed Africa ‘High 5’ work has already provided access to improved agricultural technologies to over 76 million farmers,” Adesina says.
He stated that the continent must be a source of food for the rest of the world because it has 65 percent of the arable land.
Despite the fact that Africa faces numerous challenges, the president stated that the Bank will not be deterred.
Adesina confirmed that the Africa Emergency Food Production Plan was created by the AfDB and the African Union Commission.
He stated that the plan would provide improved seeds and fertilizers, as well as other farm inputs, to 20 million farmers, resulting in the production of 38 million tonnes of food worth $12 billion.
According to Adesina, the food will consist of 11 million tonnes of wheat, 18 million tonnes of maize, six million tonnes of rice, and 2.5 million tonnes of soybeans.
“The Bank has also been implementing a very successful programme Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) which is getting agricultural technologies to farmers at scale,” he assured.
Adesina said the Bank would be celebrating the African Development Fund (ADF) which would turn 50 years this year.
He said the ADF had contributed $45 billion to support Africa’s low income countries.
The president said the Bank would be discussing with the Board of Governors, how to raise more resources for the ADF to better support low income and fragile countries in the continent
