African nations urged to promote inclusive agriculture ahead of summit
By People Daily, July 9, 2021PD Reporter and Xinhua
African nations have been urged to build an inclusive and transformative agricultural sector to boost food security and nutrition amid the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change challenges.
Hailemariam Desalegn, chairman of the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), said on Wednesday that the Covid-19 pandemic has made it urgent to promote inclusive agriculture that brings every country in the continent and citizens on board.
“In the context of Covid pandemic and climatic challenges, Africa must work with its youth, women, men, children and political leaders to change its food system,” he said at a virtual event during the launch of this year’s AGRF Summit to be held from September 6 to 10 in Nairobi.
The AGRF will provide opportunities for Kenya and other African countries to showcase how agriculture can accelerate prosperity.
Food systems
The former Ethiopian prime minister noted that there is still a lot that needs to be covered in terms of fixing Africa’s food systems, which are broken.
“We are producing more food but many Africans still face food insecurity due to post-harvest losses and wastage,” he said.
He called on Africa’s heads of state to make a presidential commitment to boost agricultural production.
Peter Munya, Kenya’s cabinet secretary of Ministry of Agriculture, said Africa must embrace agricultural technology and finance the sector to increase food production.
According to AGRA, the 2021 Summit is critical for Africa’s agriculture and as a defining moment to highlight and unlock many of the political, policy, and financial commitments and innovations the continent has achieved and needed to advance the commitments made at the Malabo Heads of State Summit and towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The AGRF Summit will provide a platform for governments and communities; including youth, women, civil society, and other stakeholders around the world to discuss their food systems; and identify ways to strengthen such systems.