By Imam Wali in Nairobi, Kenya
Former President of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan has touted agricultural innovations as a tool for spurring growth and combating climate change across the African continent.
He was speaking on Tuesday during the maiden edition of the African Conference on Agricultural Technologies (ACAT) in Nairobi, Kenya.
Jonathan said it disheartening to note that Africa, despite having 60 percent of the world’s arable land, has its citizenry still grappling with food insecurity and vagaries of climate change in addition to pests and diseases.
“Innovation in Agriculture is not an option but a necessity. The world’s population is growing and with it, is the demand for food. Climate change poses threats to our traditional agricultural practices, we need innovations that will ensure we continue producing what we like in good volumes by making our production systems more efficient, sustainable and climate smart,” he said.
Jonathan added that the path to agricultural resilience and food security lies in the effective and innovative use of technology.
According to Jonathan, innovative technologies can bridge the current production gap and help the continent fast track the attainment of self-sufficiency in food production.
“Africa has made significant strides in accessing and adopting technology, but there is still much more to be done. We must invest in research and development; integrate cutting edge development of advanced innovative technologies to enhance precision agriculture, biotechnology and digital platforms; and connect farmers with knowledge and skills from planning through production to markets. These innovations empower our farmers, improve yields and boost income,” said Jonathan.
In his remarks, African Agricultural Technology Foundation AATF Executive Director Dr Canisius Kanangire urged African countries to invest more in agricultural technologies that address chronic food and nutrition insecurities which continue affecting the continent.
He said acute hunger has affected the implementation of meaningful development of the continent as resources which would have improved other areas are channelled towards addressing the hunger situation in the region.
He also encouraged African countries to take advantage of the growing African youth population—the youth bulge—to be a source of revitalising the African economy. He argues that this has not yet been harnessed.
“The younger generation are still shy of soiling their hands in agriculture. However, to revitalise the African economy, youth have to fully be engaged in Agriculture technologies, “said Kanangire.
Malawi is among a total of 24 countries in Africa likely to face acute food insecurity, According to the World Food Program (WFP) and Food and Agricultural Organisation (Fao) hunger projection for June-December 2023
The conference has been sponsored by Kenya’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development and African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF).
Held under the theme: ‘Agricultural Resilience through Innovation’, it has attracted scientists, stakeholders, farmers and government officials from across the African continent.
