By Abdullahi Lukman
The African Development Bank Group has called for a shift from emergency food interventions to long-term investment in resilient agricultural systems as Africa faces growing food security challenges.
The call was made in Kigali on September 2 during a session reviewing the Bank’s $1.5 billion African Emergency Food Production Facility, which was approved in 2022 to support farmers across the continent.
The facility has reached nearly 15 million farmers in 34 African countries and helped generate an additional 45 million metric tonnes of food, according to the Bank.
It has also supplied more than 400,000 tonnes of certified seeds and nearly three million tonnes of fertiliser.
The programme was established to provide rapid agricultural support, including climate-smart seeds and fertilisers, to help prevent food shortages and support smallholder farmers.
Speaking at the Africa Food Systems Forum, Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, said repeated crises had exposed structural weaknesses in Africa’s food systems.
Kyari said long-term resilience would require diversified sources of food and agricultural inputs, financing that combines public, concessional and private capital, and transparent management of strategic food reserves.
Other participants highlighted results from projects supported through the facility. Côte d’Ivoire reported improved access to fertiliser and improved seeds, contributing to higher yields of cassava, maize and rice, while a $5.4 million project in the Central African Republic increased production of key crops and strengthened agricultural research capacity.
The Bank said the facility had also recorded significant country-level gains, including a fourfold increase in wheat production in Nigeria and a doubling of maize output in Côte d’Ivoire.
Dr Martin Fregene, Officer in Charge of the Bank’s Agriculture, Human and Social Development Vice Presidency, said emergency funding alone would not meet Africa’s long-term food needs, particularly as the continent’s population is projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050.
He called for market-driven agricultural systems that ensure farmers have reliable access to credit, insurance, fertiliser and other inputs, while providing efficient markets for their produce.
Japan International Cooperation Agency Vice President Seisuke Inoue said investments in irrigation, agricultural extension and regional initiatives such as the Coalition for African Rice Development should be treated as public goods capable of generating long-term economic benefits.
The Bank said the facility had mobilised about $300 million in additional support from partners, including JICA and the governments of Norway, the Netherlands and Germany.
Participants also called for greater use of technology, stronger digital infrastructure, youth-focused agricultural policies and deeper public-private partnerships.
In his closing remarks, African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment Moses Vilakati urged countries to align emergency financing with agricultural calendars, expand technology deployment and ensure crisis interventions strengthen rather than bypass national systems.
He also called for increased investment in preparedness and stronger strategic partnerships to help African countries respond more effectively to future food and climate shocks.
