African Leaders urged to curb hunger

AFRICAN policy makers and strategic planners
have been called upon to devise an agricultural model that
will ensure that more food lands on the tables of the people.
Speaking at the official opening of the revolutionizing
finance for agri-value chains conference here, the Kenya
Deputy President, Mr William Ruto, said that he had his
doubts that concentrating on smallholder farmers was the
right direction. "This is what I am thinking.
A smallholder gets between 15 and 18 ninety-kilo bags of
maize per acre while a person using irrigation obtains
between 80 and 90 bags with the same acreage.
We as policy makers this year have decided to
progressively put more land under irrigation," he explained.
Deputy President Ruto said that his government intends to
set aside one million acres that will target the private
sector and entrepreneurs such that they produce and
expand food production.
He said that it was only through this way of putting on
board the private sector that economies of scale will be
tapped, where modern technology will be used and
mechanization such that agriculture can take Africa out of
poverty.
Mr Ruto said that he was aware that such issues were very
political adding that it was high time that people bit the
bullet and start doing what is right.
"I am often left puzzled knowing that Africa has abundance
of people with invaluable knowledge and top class
scientists yet there is a lot of mystery, myths and
superstitions surrounding the use of technology especially
biotechnology.
" Unless we speak about making hard decisions, we will
only end up speaking good English in here," he said.
With regard to financing, the Deputy President said that
central bank governors and finance ministers need to have
more assertive roles in creating a clear environment and
credit facilities to lower interest rates otherwise investors,
farmers, entrepreneurs will continue to shy away from the
sector.
Concurring with the Deputy President earlier, the Kenyan
Central Bank Governor, Prof Njuguna Ndung, said that there
was a need to build an agricultural model for financial
inclusion that will incorporate an insurance model that is
sustainable.