Key Takeaways:
- AfDB targets an additional 120 million tonnes of food production by 2025.
- Urgent need for enhanced wheat production due to rising demand.
- Heavy reliance on wheat imports exposes the region to global market risks.
- Feed Africa initiative aims to transform agriculture into a competitive sector.
- TAAT aims to double productivity for 40 million producers by 2025.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has set an ambitious target to produce an additional 120 million tonnes of food by 2025, according to Abdul Kamara, Director-General of the AfDB Nigeria Country Department. This announcement was made during the 2024 West and Central Africa Regional Wheat Summit held in Abuja, where the theme focused on prioritising policy, innovative technologies, and investments in wheat transformation for sustainable food security.
Kamara highlighted the pressing need for increased wheat production in West and Central Africa, driven by rising demand due to population growth, urbanisation, and changing dietary preferences. He pointed out that despite this demand, local production remains significantly behind, forcing the sub-region to rely heavily on imports, which exposes it to global market vulnerabilities. Recent geopolitical events, such as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and India’s wheat export ban, have further underscored the risks of relying on external sources.
To combat these challenges, Kamara referenced the AfDB’s Feed Africa initiative, launched in 2016, which aims to transform agriculture into a competitive agribusiness sector across the continent. The initiative’s Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) aims to double productivity in crops, livestock, and fisheries by making proven technologies accessible to over 40 million agricultural producers by 2025, thereby generating an additional 120 million tonnes of food and lifting 130 million people out of poverty.
Kamara urged stakeholders to engage in discussions focused on building resilient agricultural systems to enhance food security and economic growth in Africa. He stressed the importance of collective action to create a thriving wheat sector.
Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa shared insights into the state’s wheat production challenges and successes. He mentioned efforts to allocate 40,000 hectares for wheat cultivation and highlighted the implementation of supportive programmes for farmers, leading to a significant increase in land dedicated to wheat production.
Solomon Gizaw, Head of the TAAT Clearinghouse, emphasized the rising demand for wheat in Sub-Saharan Africa, noting a 6% increase in consumption over the past decade. He called for strategic investments in the wheat value chain and highlighted ongoing efforts in countries like Nigeria and Cameroon to develop National Wheat Road Maps to enhance domestic production.
Zubeir Ibrahim, Managing Director of Nile Sun Seed Company Ltd and Chairman of the Sudan Seed Trade Association, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the opportunities presented by heat-tolerant wheat varieties and the growing market demand. He stated, “This demand creates a pathway for success that we can leverage.”
Credit: NAN (Text Excluding Headline)
