Germany Holds Food Summit For Africa

GERMAN agriculture company, AGCO, will organise a 2013 food conference in Berlin to address issues that could accelerate food production in Africa.

With a burgeoning population of seven billion people and a projection of more than 8.9 billion by 2050, the continent’s food security challenge has become increasingly daunting.

Building on last year’s success, AGCO Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Martin Richenhagen, said his organisation would invite private sector leaders and officials of governments in Africa to the January 21 event to discuss new visions and solutions to tackle the challenge.

Listed to speak at the, 2nd AGCO Africa Summit (Agriculture In Africa- From Vision to Action) are Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina and his Mozambiquean and Rwandan counterparts, Jose Condungua and Dr Agnes Kalibata, respectively.

Others are Prof. Horst Kohler, former Federal President of Germany; Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Farmsecure Group, Jerome Yazbek and Barry Martin of RaboBank, The Netherlands, among others.

 This platform for international dialogue on the future of agriculture in the continent and global food supply, according to Richenhagen, intends to draw resources that would address international issues.

With a swelling population and changing diet patterns, even developed nations have to evolve innovations and investments to boost agricultural output.

To do this, Western agricultural think tanks say Africa provides an answer because of the abundance of untapped resources.

For instance, the UN and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimate that 15 per cent of the world’s arable land lies on the continent, of which 86 per cent remains uncultivated.

Due to this potential, the Berlin summit intends to discuss the promise of a new agricultural revolution that Africa, presumably holds. But much as this is the expected deliverables, AGCO’s chief executive believes this should be done in an economically, environmentally and socially responsible way, while urging the conversation to be moved forward, together.

According to Richenhagen, “a lack of infrastructure, mechanisation and technology across the continent calls for market-based cooperation between farmers, private industry, government and society to establish a new blueprint.”