Efforts by Africans to feed themselves and escape the food importation trap and put the continent on the path to economic growth must give attention to soil fertility, according to DG Nteranya Sanginga.
Addressing participants at the 6th Africa Agriculture Science Week (AASW) organized by the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) in Accra, Dr Sanginga highlighted the impact of agricultural research over the years and concluded that Africa must adopt scientific innovations and pay attention to natural resource management to drive the agricultural development agenda.
“The issue of soil fertility must be addressed if Africa wants to feed itself,” he said.
Dr Sanginga expressed optimism for Africa’s agricultural transformation, highlighting the increasing attention governments on the continent are putting on agriculture.
However, he reiterated that efforts need to focus on restoring soil fertility, creating an enabling environment for market policies, and developing more resilient and productive farm systems.
The 6th AASW provided an opportunity for Africans and partners to rethink the commitment by African governments 10 years ago which also led to the establishment of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).
CAADP focuses on improving food security, nutrition, and increasing incomes in Africa’s largely farming based economies. It aims to do this by raising agricultural productivity by at least 6% per year and increasing public investment in agriculture to 10% of national budgets per year. So far, only a few countries have met the CAADP targets.
Dr Kanayo Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), in his keynote address, said that there is still a lot to be done in the context of the ever-changing and increasing challenges choking agricultural development in Africa.
He noted that the world is producing enough but that the food is not reaching those that need it most.
“We must put our efforts both in improving productivity and reducing postharvest losses,” he added.
The IFAD President called for a paradigm shift in addressing food insecurity in Africa.
According to him, research and development need to be “repositioned” into research for development to bring the benefits of research to the farm.
He advised scientists to ensure that their research corresponds with the reality on the ground and that it addresses the challenges of development empirically.
IITA is one of the world’s leading research partners in finding solutions for hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. Its award-winning research for development (R4D) approach addresses the development needs of tropical countries. IITA works with partners to enhance crop quality and productivity, reduce producer and consumer risks, and generate wealth from agriculture. IITA is a non-profit organization founded in 1967 in Nigeria and governed by a Board of Trustees. IITA works on the following crops: cowpea, soybean, banana/plantain, yam, cassava, and maize. IITA is a member of CGIAR, a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future.
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For more information, please contact: Andrea Gros, a.gros@cgiar.org or Godwin Atser, g.atser@cgiar.org .
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