Dr. Adesina believes that begging for food is unethical.
Africa does not need to rely on other countries for food, according to Dr. Akinwumi Akin Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group.
He stated that there is no dignity in Africa, noting that the continent, known for its rich natural resources, young population, and occupying roughly 20% of the total land area on the planet, is dependent on others for food sovereignty.
As a result, he said, the time had come for the continent to rally the necessary support and resources, including agricultural technologies, to ensure Africa's food security.
"Africa does not require bowls in hand; Africa requires seeds in the ground and mechanical harvesters to harvest abundant food produced locally," Dr. Adesina stated. Africa must feed its pride. "There is no dignity in begging for food."
"We all agreed it was past time to assist Africa in producing its own food." Food sovereignty is long overdue. "Food aid cannot feed Africa," Dr. Adesina added.
He made the remarks at the start of the 2022 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group in Accra.
"In the face of climate change, the Bank is taking the lead in ensuring Africa's food supplies," he said.
According to the AfDB President, the Feed Africa strategy, which was launched six years ago, has already benefited over 76 million farmers by providing access to improved agricultural technologies.
In addition, its flagship program, Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), has provided climate smart seeds to 12 million farmers in 27 countries in just two years.
Furthermore, the Bank has developed the Africa Emergency Food Production Plan, a $1.5 billion strategy to address Africa's looming food crisis caused by the Russian-Ukraine war through rapid food production.
The plan is expected to produce 38 million metric tons of food, including wheat, maize, rice, and soybeans, with an additional $12 billion in food production value.
According to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, "we must light up and power Africa in order for her to feed herself, integrate, and industrialize." It is past time for us to focus on overcoming the structural barriers to our growth."
This is due to the fact that rising food prices disproportionately affect African families, as food accounts for roughly 40% of African household income, compared to less than 20% in advanced economies.
Aside from that, he stated, "we must also deal with 'tax evasion' and illegitimate commercial transactions by multinationals, which account for 60% of the continent's annual illicit financial flows of US$88 billion, as well as other relationships that impede our development."
"The convergence of rising challenges and expectations necessitates sustained conviction," said President Akufo-Addo. Our assistance will be critical in building the Africa we want."
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