The President of African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has commended the Nigerian government for its efforts in promoting agriculture and agribusiness in the country.
The AfDB’s Communication and External Relations Department in a statement on Wednesday said Adesina made the commendation when he was conferred with an honorary doctorate in his homeland in Abeokuta.
The statement said that the AfDB president was honoured with a Doctorate of Science by the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta, Nigeria.
It said that the AfDB boss was happy that Nigerian government was doing well in promoting agriculture.
According to the statement, the bank will continue the support the government in transforming Nigeria’s agriculture sector.
The statement quoted Adesina as saying “Agriculture is the most important profession and business in the world.
“The size of food and agriculture in Africa will rise to one trillion dollars by 2030. The population of Africa, now at 1.2 billion, will double to 2.5 billion by 2050.
“They all must eat. And only through food and agribusiness can this be achieved,” he said.
The bank said it was spearheading efforts to feed Africa and was investing 25 billion dollars over a ten-year period to transform the continent’s agriculture sector.
“What Africa does with food will determine the future of food, given that 65 per cent of the arable land left to feed the world is here.
“I am delighted to see so many of our young people engaged in agriculture arising from the Youth Employment in Agriculture initiative launched when I was minister to get the youth into agriculture as a business.
“From their innovations in the use of drones, food processing, packaging, transport and logistics and marketing, they are already unlocking the opportunities in agriculture.
“Africa’s youth must become leaders to help feed our world.”
He urged agricultural universities to optimise their role in linking research, innovations and technologies to farmers and the food and agriculture industry.
The statement also quoted the Chancellor of the university, Edidem Abasi-Otu as describing Adesina as a global household name whose exploits in promoting value-chain addition in agricultural produce, remained unparalleled.
According to him, the honour is to acknowledge Adesina’s work in agriculture and food security across the continent. (NAN)
