Africa's agricultural potential has been highlighted as a key driver for sustainable growth on the continent, with the capacity to produce diverse crops like cassava, cowpea, and cocoa. This potential was prominently discussed during the recent Sahel Scholars Conference on Agriculture and Nutrition, bringing together university students from across Africa to explore the agricultural challenges facing the continent.
Temitope Adegoroye, managing partner at Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition Ltd, pointed out during the conference, themed “Nourishing Tomorrow: Youth-Driven Solutions for Sustainable Food Security,” the huge role agriculture plays across the continent. Notably, over half of Africa's population is engaged in agricultural activities, with smallholder farmers generating 80% of the food production.
According to Adegoroye, Africa holds 60% of the world’s arable land and is responsible for 70% of global cocoa production. Despite these impressive figures, he notes, food insecurity still looms large, with 20% of Africa's populace currently facing acute hunger.
Adegoroye mentioned various factors contributing to food insecurity such as climate change, gender inequality, and inadequate regulatory environments. He fervently urged African nations to work on issues of equality and to involve youths innovative solutions to combat the food crisis.
“We need to drive change through youth involvement,” Adegoroye stated, emphasizing the integral roles young entrepreneurs play. They are already making impactful strides by bringing financial services, market connections, and sector intelligence to agriculture.
To truly transform Africa's agricultural sector, Adegoroye recommended building partnerships and supporting local products. Engaging the youth through mentorship, establishing networks, and altering mindsets mainstreamed around agriculture was deemed necessary.
He also stressed the importance of preparing the agricultural sector to embrace technological innovations, particularly with Africa's population projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050. “Conditions must be right to encourage the growth of agricultural technology,” he affirmed.
Ayodele Olawande, Nigeria’s Minister of Youth Development, echoed these sentiments by calling on the youth to unite as problem solvers against food insecurity. He insisted on the need for young people to develop skills beneficial to local communities and the nation at large.
Helen Okoti of Sahel Consulting remarked on the firm’s dedication to revamping agriculture and nutrition across Africa, focusing on building efficient value chains for food security. Established back in 2010, Sahel Consulting aims for capacity building through strategic humanitarian projects.
The Sahel Scholars Programme (SASP) was also mentioned, targeting the education and empowerment of undergraduate students interested in agriculture. By prioritizing mentorship and hands-on experiences, SASP strives to cultivate the next generation of agribusiness leaders.
Father Godfrey Nzamujo, founding director of the Songhai Centre, shared insights on the evolution of agriculture since World War II. He commented on the dominance of conventional agriculture, characterized by intensive chemical use, and pointed out the pressing need for Africa to adopt sustainable farming practices.
“To meet the demands of our growing population, we must adopt economic activities capable of reducing environmental impacts simultaneously,” Nzamujo articulated. He identified sustainable development as the cornerstone for boosting productivity without compromising the environment.
Nzamujo concluded by underscoring the significance of sustainable agricultural technologies. He believed such innovations would empower the agricultural sector to produce more effectively using fewer resources.
