Off the wire
• Starting lineup of Belgium against Italy in Euro 2016 Group E  • Own goal helps Sweden draw 1-1 with Republic of Ireland  • Militant, woman killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir firing  • New model can predict disease outbreaks based on environmental changes  • Tanzania forms task force to stamp out blast fishing  • Wildlife activists try to end ivory trade in Thailand  • Slovakia to address Europe-wide unemployment insurance during presidency  • Rainstorms continue in south China  • African nations urged to end stigma for people living with albinism  • Ghana advance to next stage of Africa U-20 qualifiers  
You are here: 　 Home

Roundup: Experts push for modern agriculture in Africa

Xinhua, June 14, 2016 Adjust font size:

Promotion of modernized, commercial agriculture is key to transforming African economies and livelihoods of its people, particularly the rural poor.

This message was highlighted Monday at the opening of the 7th Africa Agriculture science week and general assembly of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), in the Rwandan capital Kigali.

The Africa Agriculture Science Week was organized under the theme of "Apply Science, Impact Livelihoods."

Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank said Africa needs to invest more in agricultural research and innovations to achieve the real agriculture modernization and transformation.

According to him, to transform subsitence-based agriculture to a market-oriented one would require a research system including policies, comprehensive investments, infrastructure development, transformation of financial sector.

"We need to invest more in agricultural research so that our agriculture can be efficient and let Africa to be a processing center instead of a consumption center," he said.

As a business, agriculture should not be subsistence, according to Rwanda's Prime Minister, Anastase Murekezi.

Murekezi urged researchers at academic levels to add value towards agricultural value chains.

Agriculture science week is an elemental opportunity for Africa to understand how science, technologies and innovations can be used to transform agricultural sector, the major employment provider on the continent.

Martial de Paul Ikounga, Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology at the African Union Commission said with improved technologies and innovations to transform agricultural sector, the African continent can be able to feed its fast growing population.

"We are well aware that agricultural sector plays a pivotal role in Africa's social and economic development and yet it faces daunting challenges of fast growing population," he said.

Our challenge, he added, is how to make our Agrifood systems competitive.

The Science Week and General Assembly of FARA, is a triennial event, which is the principal forum for all stakeholders in African Agriculture Science, Technology and Innovation to reflect on their achievements and craft strategies and actions aimed at enhancing the contribution of agriculture towards accelerating the continent's economic and social transformation. Endit