Luanda - The African continent annually loses about 30% of its agricultural production due to lack of conservation infrastructures, the commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union (AU), Josefa Sacko has told ANGOP.
According to the AU commissioner, this 30% of agricultural goods which are lost due to the lack of conservation would serve to feed the continent's populations very well.
In addition to the loss of agricultural produce due to the lack of conservation infrastructures, Josefa Sacko also pointed to the problems of the soil and the lack of fertilisers in Africa.
Regarding the problem on the soil in Africa, she said that they are being used a lot, but their health is not being taken care of in order to increase productivity.
According to the official, at this time, to treat soils and increase productivity, Africa uses an average of 18 kilograms of fertilisers per hectare, which is very little, but in 2006, in Abuja, Nigeria, at an extraordinary AU summit called “Abuja 1”, the heads of African states decided to reach 50 kg per hectare, “unfortunately they were not successful”.
She explained that the Abuja 1 summit has designed the Abuja Declaration whose contents forecast until 2030, to increase the use of fertiliser to 50 kilograms per hectare.
“Up to now we have done evaluation and concluded that Africa only uses 18 per hectare. That does not increase productivity or guarantee food security. Those are the factors that we have to look at and accelerate if we want to have food sovereignty”, she warned.
Josefa Sacko said that to find solutions to the need for fertilisers, in June this year, the African Union will hold a summit in Senegal to look at soil issues, as well as the supply of fertilisers to peasants at affordable prices.
Impact of war, financing and solutions
Ms Sacko went on to stress that Russia, currently at war with Ukraine, is a major supplier of fertilisers and grain to the African continent.
The AU commissioner, who also talked about this war's effects on Africa, pointed Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania and Kenya as the main affected countries, as Africa imports 30% of their wheat needs from these countries in conflict.
Due to the various shocks the continent has suffered, including those caused by Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia/Ukraine war, the impacts of which are visible, Josefa Sacko advocates “African solutions to African problems”, which is an AU slogan.
The commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union (AU), took opportunity to report that they already have USD 1.5 billion available which were granted by the African Development Bank (AfDB) for the increase of food production as well as USD 3.4 billion funded by the World Bank (WB) to combat climate change, particularly drought, and ensure food resilience in the East and Southern African regions.
According to Josefa Sacko, taking into account the funding, which has already started to be distributed to the countries, it is expected to alleviate hunger in the continent as from the end of the first half of the current year.
Food production on the agenda
Regarding the problem of food production and hunger in the continent, Josefa Sacko stressed that the core of the issue is the lack of investment, political will and training.
To her, these factors are very important because, as she defends, anyone who wants to prepare food sovereignty has to create these conditions.
While quoting the President of the United States of America, the commissioner noted that at the recent US/Africa Summit, Joe Biden´s concern in cooperation with the African continent is food security.
“He said it is not acceptable for an individual to wake up in the morning and not have what to eat. That is against human rights”, quoted the US President,
When asked if she believes that Africa can still be the world´s food reserve, as it was said years ago, she said yes. “I think we can still count on it, but there must be political will”, she stressed.
The Angolan diplomat added that there are crisis that bring opportunities such as the 2020 Covid-19 crisis and in 2022, the Russia/Ukraine war, which showed the vulnerability of the agricultural sector in Africa.
The leader believes it is necessary to dream and transform the continent because otherwise it will be a shame not to leave a good legacy to the generations that follow.
“I finish my term at the AU in two years’ time, in 2025, and I have to leave a legacy. I may not do everything, but I have to leave something. It is those projects that we have to hold on to that are benefiting our countries. It must be ensured that productivity has improved. I hope the fertiliser summit will bring fruits and concrete actions”, she said.
She stated that she believes in concrete actions, but does not believe in speeches.
“I believe in actions that show that this is what I have done, because time is short. We have a mandate of four years and one cannot do everything, but taking advantage of the current situation, what is the solution to resolve this”, she questioned.
To her, Africa can be the world´s food reserve if there is political will and good advocacy, because for the first time food security is a matter that is on the table and scheduled.
Angolan Josefa Sacko is an agricultural engineer, economist and ambassador to the AU. She has previously served as Secretary-General of the Inter-African Coffee Organisation for 13 years. In 2017, she was elected Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Economy by the African Union.
