President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, has expressed concerns over the federal government’s plan to import food, saying reliance on food import as a price stabilisation strategy could destroy the country’s agricultural policy.
Akinwunmi who expressed this at the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa retreat held in Abuja, at the weekend, where he spoke on the theme, ‘Food Security and Financial Sustainability in Africa,’ described the policy as depressing.
He said the country should be producing food to keep prices stable and reduce pressure on foreign exchange and further help stabilize the Naira, while creating jobs.
“Nigeria cannot import its way out of food insecurity. Nigeria must not be turned into a food import-dependent nation,” the AfDB president stated.
He further noted that Africa constitutes nearly a third of the over 780 million people worldwide who are hungry, hence the critical role of agriculture in diversifying economies and transforming rural areas, where more than 70 per cent of Africa’s population resides.
Adesina noted that Africa holds 65 per cent of the world’s remaining uncultivated arable land, which is crucial for feeding an estimated 9.5 billion people by 2050. Therefore, what Africa does with agriculture will determine the future of food in the world.
“Essentially, food is money. The size of the food and agriculture market in Africa will reach $1 trillion by 2030,” he stated.
