Dr. Agnes Kalibata – President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa encouraged Africa to improve on Food Sector amidst Russia-Ukraine

By Abdul Rahman Bangura-

Photo Credit: Great Transition Initiative

NEW AFRICA BUSINESS NEWS (NABN) Freetown, Sierra Leone– Dr. Kalibata underscored during the Institute for New Economic Thinking asserted that the incessant Russia-Ukraine war fulfills a wake-up call for Africa’s food systems.

Since the war drives a surge in food prices and hardships in food imports, Dr. Kalibata emphasized the significance of grabbing business alternatives in the landmass’s food sector.

“The Russia-Ukraine war and the COVID-19 crisis have exposed vulnerabilities in our food dependencies, but we have the power to take action,” Dr. Kalibata noted.

She exhorted African countries to concentrate on producing their food locally, strengthening productivity in the agrarian sector, and curtailing dependence on imports from other nations.

Accentuating the possible wealth to be produced from the African mainland’s food sector, Dr. Kalibata remarked that the global supply chain disturbances effected by the crises provoked leaders to acknowledge the urgency of enhancing their food systems.

She spoke of that, Africa presently imports $50 billion worth of food yearly, encompassing $18 billion spent on crops that can be locally produced in sub-Saharan Africa.

By way to combat the challenges posed by the Russia-Ukraine crisis and the climate change impact on food prices, Dr. Kalibata underlined the primacy of building resilient food systems in Africa. And illustrated the systematic incidence of droughts, unexpected rainfall, and decreasing yields, as highlighted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report.

The AGRA President commended Ethiopia’s reaction to the wheat crisis induced by the Russia-Ukraine war, which arose in substantial foreign exchange savings due to boosted domestic wheat production.

She motivated other African nations to follow Ethiopia’s pointer in increasing farming sectors. Dr. Kalibata intensified the significance of the African Continental Free Trade Area in boosting intra-African trade and curtailing the landmass’s dependency on outer sources.

By aiding growers with enriched seeds, fertilizers, market access, and agricultural extension services, Africa can tap into its intrinsic resilient ability and renovate its farming sector into a trillion-dollar industry.

Dr Kalibata demanded that, the current crises should serve as an impetus for Africa to realize the enormous capacity in the food sector, fostering economic growth and assuring food security for its people.

For New Africa Business News (NABN) Abdul Rahman Bangura Reports,  Africa Correspondent