The President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, has highlighted the crucial need for creating a sustainable environment that fosters investment opportunities in agriculture in order to achieve food security in Africa. Tinubu made this statement during the High-Level Meeting on “Attracting Investments in Land Restoration, Food Systems, and Rural Transformation in Africa” held at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
The event, organized by the African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) Nigeria in collaboration with its continental counterpart, aimed to explore innovative solutions, investment prospects, and partnerships that promote productivity, resilience, and sustainability in African agriculture, particularly focusing on smallholder farmers.
Represented by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’dua, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Nigerian Army, Tinubu emphasized the importance of providing accessible financing to smallholder farmers in Nigeria and across the continent to enhance agricultural productivity.
Moreover, Tinubu expressed concern about the detrimental effect of poor governance and insecurity on agriculture in Africa. He emphasized, “In Africa today, one of the biggest hindrances to agricultural practices is the issue of poor governance by our fellow states, which has severely impacted development across the continent. Manifestations of this poor governance include conflicts and political instability, making it impossible for agriculture to thrive and leading to food insecurity.”
Tinubu’s call for a sustainable environment and investment in agriculture resonates with the urgent need to address the challenges faced by smallholder farmers and foster food security in Africa. By focusing on innovative solutions and forging partnerships, it offers hope for a brighter future for African agriculture.
