Africa Needs to Reduce Food Import,Boost Productivity, Says Rural Economy, Agriculture Commissioner

ENA.February 7/2020 African countries need to steadfastly engage in reducing food imports and boost commercial productivity, AU Rural Economy and Agriculture Commissioner said.

Briefing journalists today, Rural Economy and Agriculture Commissioner Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko said “Africa, with about 60 percent arable land, is spending 35 billion USD annually for food imports.”

She, however, added that encouraging results are being registered in transforming rural agriculture; though there is still much to be done to move the continent’s production from subsistence to commercial.

“We still need to speed up the efforts to realize the goal of ending poverty by 2025 through  transforming the sector,” Sacko noted.

According to her, lack of finance in the sector, traditional ways of farming, and conflict over resources in the continent are among the challenges that are hampering progress.

The commissioner said there are countries with good track record of allocating 2 percent of their national budget for resilient economy. Many are however lagging behind and should implement in accordance.

“We need to redouble our efforts to transform the sector and ensure the continent’s food security as well as end poverty,” Sacko emphasized.

Out of the 600 million hectares of arable land in Africa, only 7 percent is being used for irrigation.