The African Development Bank (AfDB) says it has set a target to produce an additional 120 million tonnes of food by 2025.

Abdul Kamara, director-general of AfDB in Nigeria, stated this during a side event at the 2024 West and Central Africa Regional Wheat Summit on Thursday in Abuja.

Mr Kamara emphasised the need for enhanced wheat production in West and Central Africa. He said the demand for wheat had been rising due to population growth, urbanisation, and shifting dietary preferences.

“Today, the sub-region relies heavily on imports to meet its wheat needs, which exposes our countries to the vulnerabilities of the global market. Recent events, such as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and India’s wheat export ban, have only further highlighted the fragility of relying on external wheat supplies.

”The disruptions we have witnessed serve as a strong reminder that we must work towards reducing this import dependency and bolster local wheat production to secure our region’s food future,” he said.

Mr Kamara said that the AfDB’s response to these challenges was encapsulated in its Feed Africa initiative, launched in 2016. He said that the ten-year strategy was aimed at transforming agriculture across the continent into a competitive agribusiness sector.

“The programme aims to double the productivity of crops, livestock, and fisheries by making proven technologies available to more than 40 million agricultural producers by 2025. This will produce an additional 120 million tonnes of food and lift 130 million people out of poverty,” he said.

Mr Kamara encouraged stakeholders to engage in discussions aimed at building resilient agricultural systems capable of supporting Africa’s food security and economic growth.

(NAN)