Kenyan forum pledges fund, commitment to transform Africa's agriculture

The 6th African Green Revolution Forum concluded in Nairobi on Friday, with delegates endorsing a communique to hasten agricultural transformation in the continent.

About 1,500 delegates from 40 countries, including heads of state, industry executives, and heads of donor agencies and researchers, attended the forum that sought to inject fresh impetus into the quest for a green revolution in Africa.

The communique said governments, donors and the private sector will invest up to 200 billion dollars in the next 16 months to transform subsistence farming in Africa.

Kenya's agriculture minister Willy Bett said the summit reactivated the momentum towards realizing a hunger-free Africa in line with the continent's 2063 agenda on socio-economic renewal.

"We have covered a new milestone in our journey towards a continent free from hunger and malnutrition," Bett said.

Bett said that African governments will redouble efforts to achieve the 10-percent budgetary allocation to the agricultural sector as spelt out in several continental instruments.

He added that African countries will explore innovative financing mechanisms to ensure small holders have access to credit, inputs and markets.

Agnes Kalibata, president of the Nairobi-based Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), hailed the renewed political commitment to transform farming systems in the African continent.

"There is a renewed political attention on agriculture given its potential to catalyze economic growth in this continent," Kalibata said, adding that robust public-private partnerships were key to re-invent Africa's food production systems. Enditem