AfDB, others deliberate on food security measures in Africa

The Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA), in collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Wangari Mathai Institute, have reiterated the importance of improving food security in Africa.

Prof. Patrick Verkooijen, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GCA, in a statement issued on the AfDB website, called for urgent financial support to put Africa on the path of food sovereignty.

Verkooijen spoke at a threeday regional forum on the future of resilient food systems in Africa organised by the GCA and AfDB.

The forum urged the Future of Resilient Food Systems in Africa – AAAP Digital Solutions for a Changing Climate provided through training for stakeholders across Eastern Africa.

The training strengthened their capacity to design and implement solutions to improve food security and climate resilience.

It was also meant to facilitate knowledge sharing among farmers on scaling up the use of Digital Climate-informed Advisory Services (DCAS).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that DCAS are tools and platforms that integrate climate information into agricultural decision-making.

Globally, more than 300 million small-scale farmers have limited or no access to DCAS because service provision is still fragmented, unsustainable beyond project cycles, and not reaching the last mile.

According to Verkooijen, Africa needs urgent support to scale up the implementation of adaptation solutions.

“Through the African Adaptation Acceleration Programme (AAAP), we are rolling out a 350 million dollar project to build resilience for food and nutrition security in the horn of Africa.

“This is toward mobilising new digital climate technology for market information, insurance products, and financial services that can and must be tailored to smallholder farmers’ needs,” he said.

The AfDB’s East Africa Regional Director-General, Nnenna Nwabufo, represented by Dr Pascal Sanginga, the Regional Sector Manager for Agriculture and Agro-Industries, said the forum was timely.

“The AAAP is already contributing to closing Africa’s adaptation gap by supporting African countries to make a transformational shift in their development pathways.

“It is putting climate adaptation and resilience at the centre of their policies, programmes, and institutions.

“There is no doubt that AAAP will be a strong component of the country’s Food and Agricultural Delivery Compacts.

“As it will accelerate the transformation of Africa’s food systems and build a more resilient Africa,” Nwabufo said.

Prof. Stephen Gitahi, Vice Chancellor of the University of Nairobi, said 70 per cent of the population in Eastern Africa live in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.

Gitahi encouraged the trainers to simplify the modules to remove the fear of technology and accelerate adaptation for rural farmers.

“We acknowledge that gaps exist on climate adaptation in the rural communities, and those can be smartly bridged with the use of digital smart agriculture and climate innovations,” he said.

The forum brought together stakeholders and participants from Djibouti, Eritrea, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Mauritius, Tanzania, Seychelles, Sudan, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Kenya. (NAN)

Sen. Bamidele thanks Ekiti voters for his re-election

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Ekiti Central Senatorial District, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele, has expressed appreciation to the people of Ekiti for voting him for a second term in the senate.

The senator also thanked people of the state for overwhelmingly voting for Sen. Bola Tinubu, the APC presidential candidate in Saturday’s elections.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, expressed the appreciation while speaking at a thanksgiving service held at Babamuboni Memorial Anglican Church, Iyin-Ekiti on Sunday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bamidele was accompanied to the church service by his wife, Yemisi, family members, friends and political associates.

While thanking God for victory at the polls, he also sought the support and prayers of all sons and daughters of the state for the task ahead.

NAN reports that Bamidele was earlier declared winner of the senatorial election by the INEC Collation Officer for Ekiti Central Senatorial District, Prof. Sola Omotola at the State Results Collation Centre in Ado-Ekiti.

He polled 69,351 to defeat his close rival, Lateef Ajijola of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 26,181.

“My main purpose of coming here today is to give thanks to Almighty God for His amazing grace over my life and family and for the success of yesterday’s National Assembly and Presidential Election.

“I also thank God for making me to win the election in a landslide manner.

“I appreciate all our people in Ekiti Central Senatorial District and the Church of God. I am indebted to the Church leadership for their continued prayers and support, ” Bamidele said.

He said he also came to seek spiritual blessings and benediction for the tasks ahead.

In his remarks, the church vicar, Ven. Oluwasola Adekola, said Bamidele’s victory was well-deserved based on his track records of performance in his previous political positions especially in the 9th Senate.

Adekola said the senator had brought dividends of democracy to the people of his senatorial district in the last four years.

He, therefore, prayed for more grace, God’s protection and wisdom for Bamidele to enable him perform more excellently in his second tenure in the senate. (NAN)