4 September 2010, 08:00 a.m.

Accra, Ghana – A group of senior African parliamentarians has supported former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s call to action at the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF).

 

“The AGRF is the most bold and holistic approach to getting Africa’s agriculture really on course,” said Dr Alhassan Ahmed Yakubu, Chair of the Committee on Agriculture, Food and Cocoa Affairs, in the Parliament of Ghana. “It has identified all stakeholders without exception to come on board to share their experience.”

 

The comment followed a panel session attended by Mr. Annan, who is also the AGRF Chair. The panel’s theme was mobilizing parliamentarians for action.

 

“If politicians don’t lead, the people will make them lead,” he told the panel.

 

AGRF is a public and private sector-led forum. By bringing together African heads of state, ministers, farmers, private agribusiness firms, financial institutions, NGOs, civil society and scientists to an African-led forum, AGRF focuses on promoting investments and policy support for driving agricultural productivity and income growth for African farmers in an environmentally sustainable way. The forum was started after a call to action by Mr. Annan in 2004.

 

The parliamentarians in Friday’s meeting lauded the efforts of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the Association of European Parliamentarians for Africa (AWEPA) to launch a capacity building initiative in support of agricultural parliamentary committees in Africa.

 

In an afternoon press conference, Ghanaian Minister for Agriculture, Hon. Kwesi Ahwoi, also issued a call to action for all stakeholders to support the AGRF-backed breadbasket initiative. The initiative will bring new funding to Ghana’s northerly region to help transform agricultural production. It is intended that other countries follow the breadbasket model.

 

“African governments must see agriculture at the top of their development agenda,” added Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

 

The three-day conference, which has taken place in Accra, Ghana, ends today.