“Many times all what the farmers need is development of markets ,”
By Anthony Muchoki
Is he a star? Yes, he was at the High Level Policy Dialogue on Food, Income and nutrition Security that took place on 1st September 2014, Addis Ababa.
I am talking about Nigerian Ministers of Agriculture. A highly impressed Kenyan Journalist Mr Isaiah Esipisu tweeted- “How I wish that all African Ministers of Agriculture would reason like Hon. Dr Akinwumi Adesina of Nigeria… an awesome leader!!”
Minister-of-Agriculture-and-Rural-Development-Dr.-Akinwumi-Adesina
Give credit where its due, the man was the star presenter of the day. The rest of presentation were awesome and incredibly informative, but his, was more overwhelming inspiring- simple and candid. This was a pre-conference event of the Alliance for Green Revolution Forum that starts on 2nd September.
A powerful orator full of charisma and knowing his subject exceptionally well, the over 1000 delegates in the room were all ears, to the ground.
A believer in innovation for making agriculture more productive, he was of the opinion that African farmers must be food secure and financially independent, for the continent to move ahead.
He noted that in Nigeria they were working on research to ensure improvement of bread and confectionaries made from Cassava flour, which he said was cheaper than wheat flour.
Africa being the largest producer of Cassava in the world, the innovation will open a new world for farmers across the continent. “Many times all what the farmers need is development of markets ,” and African governments must not abandon them on this.
He conceded that unlike in the developed countries, in Africa farmers have not been adequately supported by their governments and policy abandonment was a real problem.
Dr. Adesina, a career agricultural expert now in now halfway in the third decade, said his focus was getting immediate and long term solutions to challenges that keep farmers in the mire of poverty. “Creating markets for farmers must remain a major focus. “
They say hope is a good breakfast but a bad supper. Apart from that, the good minister added that millions of hungry African cannot eat the potential offered by the agricultural sector in the continent.
Hon Adesinia noted that “Nobody can eat potential” and “policy makers must change to that reality,” and ensure bottom up development.