President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria has called on African leaders to demonstrate political will and recommit themselves to transforming the continent’s agriculture.
In his address to the Feed Africa Summit of Heads of State and Government, the President urged his counterparts to adopt innovative policies that ensure citizens eat what they produce, as well as export the surplus.
He also welcomed the $538.05 million in funding for Nigeria’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) program from the African Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
President Buhari emphasized the importance of increasing agricultural productivity through access to quality farm inputs and mechanization.
He also called for increased budget allocation for agriculture, particularly for investments in research and development, infrastructure, and energy. He urged African leaders to meet the 10% allocation of budgets to agriculture as agreed in the Malabo Declaration.
The Nigerian leader also stressed the importance of attracting more youth to agriculture, and called for the Food and Agriculture Delivery Compacts to address ways to empower young people and women in the sector.
He also highlighted the need to address climate change and invest in irrigation to address the increasing frequency of droughts that are leading to declining crop yields.
President Buhari praised the African Development Bank’s efforts to launch the SAPZ program and noted that he had launched the program in Nigeria in October 2022.
He stated that the program, which will cover seven states in Nigeria, will help to transform the agriculture sector and generate wealth.
He also said that the program will allow for the development of integrated infrastructure around agricultural processes and add value to the production of crops, livestock, and fisheries.
