Apr 20, 2016 | News

Africa Must Invest in Agriculture

The only way Africa can deliver tangible results in agriculture is to mobilise its own human and financial resources and invest more in the sector.

This was said by the African Union (AU) Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, Tumussine Peace, at the12th meeting of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Partnership (CAADP) held in Accra, Ghana last week.

Peace said Africa also needs to build strong partnerships for an accountable implementation of the CAADP agenda since investment in agriculture makes good economic sense.

The chief executive officer of New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD) agency in Ghana, Ibrahim Mayaki, also urged Africa to invest more in agriculture.

He said Africa will only make it happen if "we collectively innovate and agree to account for resources injected, results and impacts that ensue."

Mayaki said Africa must innovate because "we need to design new and fit-for purpose instruments that are able to deal with the emerging trends, challenges and opportunities."

The meeting was held under the theme 'Innovative Financing and Renewed Partnership to Accelerate Implementation of CAADP.'

CAADP is an agricultural programe of Nepad, which is a programe for the African Union.

CAADP's goal is to eliminate hunger and reduce poverty through agriculture.