One in every five people in Africa is undernourished due to insufficient nutritious food, a World Bank report shows. This translates to 230 million Africans. This number could rise to 350 million by 2050. Food production in Sub-Saharan Africa needs to increase by 60 per cent over the next 15 years to feed a growing population.
According to the report released at the ongoing Africa Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) conference at UN, Gigiri, a projected rise in extreme weather conditions and average temperatures of about two degree Celsius by mid-century could substantially reduce the land suitable for growing the main staple crops, and reduce crop yields by up to 20 per cent. Without major investments in agriculture, the average African would have access to 21 per cent fewer calories and climate change would increase the number of malnourished children by 10 million.
Farming is a key source of income for between 60 to 65% of labour in Sub-Saharan Africa. African agriculture is well-positioned for transformational change. Throughout Africa, there are over 200 million hectares of uncultivated land that can be brought to productive use. Africa uses only two per cent of its renewable water sources.
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