Target 34 countries, 20 million farmers
The African Development Bank (AfDB) says it has set up a $1.5b emergency food production facility to support food sufficiency in Africa.
President, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, who visited the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, yesterday.
He said the facility has become important because of the war between Ukraine and Russia, which has seen wheat and corn prices rise.
Adesina said the food facility will support 34 countries and 20 million farmers who produce about 38 million metric tons of food worth $12 billion.
He believes that Africa will not have a food crisis because of the war in Ukraine.
Adesina also noted that the Feed Africa Summit in Dakar, Senegal, which was attended by about 34 heads of state, including President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, could sell $30 billion to support the delivery of food and agriculture in Africa.
“Because of the war in Ukraine by Russia, which really sent the price of wheat and corn skyrocketing all over the world, we have global inflation. Therefore, the impact will be quite serious for our homes, especially, low-income households.
“AfDB has created an emergency food production facility of $1.5 billion. So, I am sure that we will not have a food crisis because of the war in Ukraine,” said Adesina.
While commending the governor for the Agro Cargo Airport project, which will be commissioned in the first quarter of 2023, the AfDB President noted that having a cargo airport in the state will facilitate the development of the agricultural value chain in Ogun.
He said: “A cargo airport is a very good idea, because when you produce agricultural commodities, you can’t just store them, you have to be able to process them and you have to be able to transport them.
“And I think having a cargo airport will only facilitate the development of the agricultural value chain in Ogun state. It is a very good idea and I have always supported it from the beginning.