1,500 agric-experts route for AGRF 2016 in Nairobi

NaijaAgroNet:

The President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) Dr. Mrs. Agnes Kalibata has disclosed that the 2016 edition of the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF), which kicked off in Nairobi, Kenyan capital, attracted in excess of 1,500 agriculture experts from over 40 countries, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Making this disclosure at Intercontinental Hotel, Nairobi at a sideline event on Monday, Dr. Kalibata said this figure includes Heads of State and high level officials among others.

Kalibata, who was joined s the media chat by the Kenyan Cabinet Secretary at Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Hon. Willy Bett, General Manager of Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research (ACIAR), Mrs. Melisa Wood, Managing Director for Africa at Rockefeller foundation, Mr. Mamadou Biteye, Director, Agriculture and Environment at the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Dr. Dominuque Charron, told NaijaAgroNet that the forum will provide African leaders to opportunity to deliver core new investments for agriculture on the continent.

She also affirmed that Kenya the forum is expected to bring undisclosed hundreds of millions of dollars in new support for African farmers and agribusinesses while unveiling winner of prestigious new Africa Food Prize as part of the agenda.

For Mamadou Biteye of Rockfeller noted that AGRA was founded through partnership between AGRA, Rockefeller, Bill and Melinda Gate, stressing they are very proud to be associated with AGRF and AGRA, especially as it celebrates 10 years.

The Kenyan’s Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Hon. Willy Bett assured that Kenya is the appropriate venue for this historic gathering because farming and food production are the lifeblood of the Kenyan economy.

“We want to set an example that others can follow. We are committed to pushing through the policy and financial reforms that can make farming and other agriculture businesses an economically and environmentally sustainable way of life,” he said.

Remmy Nweke in Nairobi/GEE
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AGRF decries acute financial gap in African agriculture

Anthony Nwakaegh/NaijaAgroNet

The African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) has decried what it described as acute financial gap that exists in the development of Africa’s agriculture.

NaijaAgroNet gathered the Forum, which saw over 200 delegates from across Africa and internationally in attendant, focused on the critical role to be played by public-private- partnerships (PPP) and business models in the development of Africa’s agriculture, noted that

the global gap in finance for agriculture stands at about $450 billion, and is more acute on the continent of Africa than anywhere else.

NaijaAgroNet also gathered that evidence abound that only 10 per cent of African smallholder farmers have access to the financing they need to expand their production and raise their income.

According to the convenor of the AGRF, Irungu Houghton “Throughout the African continent, we are witnessing successful partnerships between the private and public sectors and smallholder farmers. But these partnerships are still too rare. We will only be able to transform Africa’s agriculture, and alleviate food insecurity and poverty, if smallholders have the funds to boost their crop yields and expand their business.”

Also speaking at the Forum, the Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Smallholder Farmers of Malawi, Dyborn Chibonga, said “Some African governments have gone some way towards addressing affordability and accessibility of production inputs, but challenges still persist. Each and every year smallholder farmers are pulled into a downward spiral of taking out high-interest loans in order to buy farming inputs for the following season. Without access to credit, smallholders cannot raise productivity.”

 

The President, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), a partner in the AGRF, Jane Karuku, said “2014 is a critical year for agriculture, when African governments will be setting investment targets and plans to develop agriculture over the coming decade. The African Union has recognised this crucial moment and designated 2014 as the Year for Food Security and Agriculture. We are delighted to announce that next year’s AGRF will be co-hosted with the African Union in Addis Ababa in September 2014.”

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