Africa can and should feed itself, said Dr. Kanayo Nwanze, president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) during a keynote address to the triennial Forum for Research in Africa (FARA) General Assembly in July.

He cited potential for increased irrigation, small increases in fertilizer use, and 2 billion acres “of uncultivated land with rain-fed crop potential in sub-Saharan Africa.” He urged nations not to blindly sell off this land.

If you are enjoying reading this article, please check out Southwest Farm Press Daily and receive the latest news right to your inbox.

“Simply providing smallholders with fertilizers, improved seed and access to irrigation is half of the equation. The other half of the equation for food and nutrition security includes the right policies, investment in rural infrastructure and access to land and local, national regional markets.”

In their latest Policy Pennings column Daryll E. Ray, Blasingame Chair of Excellence in Agricultural Policy, Institute of Agriculture, University of Tennessee, and the Director of UT’s Agricultural Policy Analysis Center (APAC) and Harwood D. Schaffer, Research Assistant Professor at APAC, offer details from Dr. Nwanze’s address.

Read more about the challenges African nations face in the full article here.

Also of interest:

Chinese cotton policy - Social stability, not trade

COOL itself is not ruled illegal by WTO but finds label wording to be…