The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto has rallied African governments to address Africa’s agriculture and food security through “science and policy action”.

Speaking at an agricultural conference in Ghana on the theme “Introspection on Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) Action to Strengthen Accountability”, Dr Afriyie Akoto called on scientists to “come up with new technologies and knowledge that will produce food and fibre in a sustainable way that aligns with the new climate realities.”

He further called for attitudinal change, where a collective action to “mainstream green actions in all activities will contribute to combating climate and achieving sustainable food systems.”

The Minister of Agriculture of Liberia, Jeanine M. Cooper, advocated increased investment into technology generation that is “well-targeted at delivering specific and well-thought-through output in the direction of our national and continental goals.”

She further proposed that the “problem identification model needs to change, and we could leverage on partnerships for joint delivery of outputs that yield great benefits.”

The Commissioner for the Department of Agriculture AUC H.E. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko added that for Africa not to be adversely affected by global events, “Africa needs to look inward and find a way to stabilize its agriculture and create a sector that is resilient to shock.”

The three-day Advance 2022: Science and Partnerships for Agriculture conference held at Alisa Hotel in Accra aims at addressing key issues in Africa’s agricultural research and innovation space.

Dr Afriyie Akoto applauded the organizers, stating that “it provides a platform for high-level individuals in Africa and Europe to jointly share knowledge and experiences“ that will help manage “tradeoffs to enhance the development of resilient food systems for our common goal is imperative”.

Among the list of organizations present include FARA, CORAF, ASARECA, CCARDESA, AFAAS, FAO, GACSA.

The Science and Partnership for Agriculture Conference facilitated by Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) is crafted to encapsulate broad-based partnerships at different levels to address key issues in Africa’s agricultural research and innovation space.