Food transformation: AfDB hosts experts in West Africa

The African Development Bank (AfDB), has hosted a group of experts to discuss how technology can be deployed to transform food systems in West Africa.

The bank said on its website on Tuesday in Abuja.

The bank co-hosted the workshop with the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the African Green Revolution Alliance.

Others are World Economic Forum and Rabobank for the Food Systems Action Platform (FSAP) for West Africa.

The event, which took place in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, on June 20 and 21, centered on the relationship between climate resilience and nutrition and how to integrate those factors into food value chains, such as rice, cassava, fruits and vegetables in West Africa.

“The stakeholders came together to see what they can do as a team and what are the actions that we need to prioritise in terms of bringing the food systems approach forward,” said Atsuko Toda, AfDB Director for Agricultural Finance and Rural Development.

Jennifer Blanke, the Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development noted that Africa was lagging behind in terms of food value chains.

According to her, never in the history of the world has there been more technologies, more know-how and other tools at our fingertips.

“How can we all get together to use it to make a difference,” she said.

The event was a gathering of FSAP partner organisations to create a collective base of value chain initiatives, and identify existing projects and innovative solutions to achieve the platform’s objectives among others.

Attendees also agreed to establish a leadership work stream that draws knowledge from government, business and other African institutions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) representatives from multi-lateral organsations attended the two-day session, including delegates from food companies, African governments, research institutes, commodity exchanges, processor and producer organisations and financial institutions.