Zimpapers Logo

Africa needs to increase its investment in science and technology to become more efficient and competitive in agriculture and reduce costs of importing food, an expert has said. In a statement, African Development Bank president Dr Akinwumi Adesina said the continent had great potential which needed to be unlocked. “Africa’s potential that requires being unlocked is massive as it has 65 per cent of the world’s arable land,” he said.“But Africa cannot eat potential.”

According to the United Nations World Population Prospect Report of 2015, at least 2.4 billion people are projected to be added to the global population between 2015 and 2050, with 1.3 billion in Africa alone.

This means if Africa realizes the potential, it will feed over nine billion by 2050.

“What Africa does with agriculture has far reaching impact beyond the region. It will shape the future of food in the world that is why greater investment in the space is a pre-requisite,” added Dr Adesina.

He also lamented that Africa’s agriculture sector had been looked at, in the past, as developmental and part of the social sector.

“This approach has not been helpful, the focus has always been viewed in terms of managing rural poverty and not wealth creation,” he added.

“This sector accounts for about 60 per cent in the labour force in many African economies barely contribute much in terms of revenue for governments.”

Dr Adesina said the high level of poverty in many rural communities demonstrated that there was much lip service being paid.

“Africa spends US$35 billion dollars in importing food; it is projected that the figure will grow to $110 billion US dollars by 2025.

Africa is importing what it should be producing, creating poverty within Africa and exporting jobs to other continents,” he said. — New Ziana.