Professor of Plant Genetics at the University of Ghana and Founding Director of the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), Prof. Eric Yirenkyi Danquah, delivered a keynote address at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in Vatican City.
He joined a group of farmers from Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe, as well as other stakeholders, to discuss key challenges and opportunities for agriculture in Africa at the first Roundtable of African Farmers ahead of the 2023 World Food Day celebrations.
The renowned Agricultural Scientist and recipient of the 2022 Africa Food Prize stressed the crucial role of Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2), joining calls by African farmers for “outcome-driven, technology-open, and evidence-based agricultural policies.”
Amid a backdrop of pressing challenges, including rapid population growth, low agricultural productivity, increasing food imports, climate change, regional conflicts, and the global COVID-19 pandemic, Prof. Danquah called upon African governments to prioritise and invest in STI as a fundamental part of efforts to secure food sustainability on the continent.
Prof. Danquah strongly noted that “neglecting the role of science and technology and innovation (STI) in development strategies should be viewed with utmost seriousness.”
“If we fail to invest in science, technology and innovation and continue to do business as usual, we shall be the only continent that will not meet SDG2 and several other SDGs,” he added. Prof. Danquah mentioned the repercussions the continent stands to face if its leaders do not lay the right balance and foundations.
He held that “by 2063, the Africa we want will be missed, and the generation of that time because we would not have laid the right foundation for them to build the Africa we want, they will also yearn for the same Africa we want in their lifetime.” He, therefore, called for Governments that neglect STIs to be charged with a crime against humanity.
Recognising that Africa’s agricultural challenges are multifaceted and achieving SDG2, which is centered on eradicating hunger and achieving food security in Africa, Prof. Danquah proposed a multi-pronged strategy essential for transforming the continent’s agricultural sector.
“Africa has the potential to not only sustain itself but also to feed the world. However, despite this potential, the continent faces challenges in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2) by 2030,” Prof. Danquah detailed.
Key among the solutions outlined by the Africa Food Prize Laureate to address these challenges included the urgent need to develop resilient, high-yield varieties of staple foods. “Africa needs to focus on developing resilient, nutritious and high-yield varieties of its staple foods. This should focus on achieving a two to five-fold increase in current yields, which is essential for the continent to be self-sufficient by 2030,” he said.
He, however, hinted that the development of resilient and high-yielding staple food would require a new generation of scientists well-versed in advanced technologies such as biotechnology and genome editing. “There is a pressing need for a new generation of scientists proficient in advanced technologies like biotechnology and genome editing.”
Prof. Danquah called for focused training programmes at African Centres of Excellence to equip professionals with cutting-edge methods to enhance crop varieties for African farmers. “These professionals need to be trained at African Centres of Excellence like WACCI, where they can use cutting-edge methods to develop improved crop varieties for African farmers.”
To realise these objectives, Prof. Danquah proposed a revitalisation of agricultural education, emphasising research, development, and outreach.
While acknowledging that a rejuvenation of agricultural education is paramount, he advocated for the creation of an African Academy of Agricultural Sciences with an initial endowment of USD 150 million and highlighted the pivotal role of existing African Centers of Excellence in Plant Breeding as focal institutions.
“There is a need for the establishment of an African Academy of Agricultural Sciences with a proposed Endowment of USD 150 million in a phase one project with the current leading African Centres of Excellence in Plant Breeding as the focal institutions.”
In addition to the initiatives that would set the pace for the achievement of food sustainability, Prof. Danquah noted that collaborations between the public and private sectors were as critical for catalysing genetic innovation, improving seed systems, and enhancing commodity value chains. Prof. Danquah also emphasised the importance of equipping farmers with the knowledge and skills required to maximise their yields.
In terms of policy, Prof. Danquah called for streamlined efforts to promote agricultural growth, including safeguarding farmers' rights, facilitating their access to credit, and fostering innovation.
Meanwhile, the agricultural scientist pointed out that solutions proffered by farmers and other stakeholders towards achieving poverty reduction and a hunger-free Africa may not yield many results unless governments show unwavering political will. “The vision of an Africa without poverty and hunger by 2030 requires strong political will.”
He stressed the importance of African governments being accountable for fulfilling their continental promises, particularly in the context of prioritising STI in development strategies. “African governments must be accountable for fulfilling their continental promises.”
Prof. Danquah rallied all stakeholders, particularly governments, to prioritise and invest in the agricultural sector. He reiterated that Africa's potential to sustainably feed itself and contribute to global food security is within reach but requires a collective commitment to overcoming the challenges at hand.
The keynote by Prof. Danquah was a call for concerted efforts from all stakeholders, with a particular emphasis on the role of governments, to harness the potential of STI in achieving sustainable food security and prosperity for Africa. This address underscored the urgency of addressing food security issues on the continent and the need for innovative, science-driven solutions to secure a prosperous and sustainable future for Africa.
At the high-level event, Director-General of the Food and Agricultural Organisation headquartered in Rome Dr. Qu Dongyu, FAO reechoed the challenges with food security in Africa. “Africa is unfortunately not on track to meet the global goals on food security and nutrition set out in the 2030 Agenda, nor the goals of the Malabo Declaration agreed to by Members of the African Union”, he said, in his opening remarks.
He added that “Science, innovation and technologies can deliver great potential. We must ensure that it is accessible for everyone.”
For the Director-General, focusing on access to technologies enables “farmers to drive a socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable agriculture, and contribute to the enhancement of food security and the overall development of the region.”
The farmers drawn from Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe on their part recommended policies “that are focused on outcomes, open towards technologies and practices, and based on scientific evidence.”
A press statement released at the end of the roundtable summarised the recommendations put forth by the farmers and stakeholders. These recommendations included the acknowledgment that investments and capacity-building are vital, and that policies serve as the fundamental cornerstone for lasting technological progress. Additionally, there was a call for the adoption of agricultural technology policies that prioritise outcomes, are neutral in terms of technology selection, and are grounded in evidence-based approaches.
The inaugural Roundtable of African Farmers held at the Vatican aimed to emphasise the importance of providing African farmers with access to technology. This access was seen as a critical catalyst for fostering sustainable growth throughout the region.
