ACCRA: The African Development Bank has approved a $1.5 billion emergency program to alleviate the impact of worsening food insecurity due to the Ukraine war, its director said on Monday.
About 20 million farmers on the continent will benefit from the fund as Africa faces a shortage of at least 30 million metric tons of food, especially wheat, maize, and soybeans imported from Russia and Ukraine.
“The$1.5 billion ... will be used to support African countries to produce food and do so rapidly,” AfDB Group President Akinwumi Adesina told the media ahead of annual general meetings in Ghana's capital Accra.
The program aims to help produce 38 million tons of food. This will consist of 11 million tons of wheat, 18 million tons of maize, six million tons of rice and 2.5 million tons of soya beans.
“Food aid cannot feed Africa. Africa does not need bowls in hand. Africa needs seeds in the ground, and mechanical harvesters to harvest bountiful food produced locally,” Adesina said.
“Africa will feed itself with pride for there is no dignity in begging for food.”
The program aims to deliver seeds, fertilizer and services to farmers and support post-harvest management, the AfDB said in a statement. It will also provide financing and credit guarantees for large-scale supply of fertilizer.
