AFDB President, farmer’s slate for honor at Nigeria conference on SARD-SC wheat project

African Development Bank (AFDB) President, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina

Between 27^th February- 2^nd March, 2017, Nigeria wheat value chain under the implementation and coordination of Lake Chad Research Institute( LCRI) in collaboration with ICARDA will give award to the African Development Bank (AFDB) President, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina and some other farmers just as  achievements towards  import substitution of $4 billion annually will be show case to the cross section of the 12 participating African countries in the Support to Agricultural Research for Development of Strategic Crops (SARD-SC) in Africa.

The conference that will be held in Abuja is expected to give award of recognition to Dr. Adesina, former Agriculture Minister along with other farmers for their excellent performance for the resuscitation of wheat production acceleration towards import substitution in the country.

In the letters of invitation signed by the Executive Director LCRI, Dr Oluwasina Olabanji, it was stated that “the objective of the conference is to summarize and document the major project achievements to the attention of project stakeholders and participants from twelve participating countries in Africa, including African Development Bank (AFDB) financing the project”

Dr. Olabanji said that SARD-SC wheat project is meant to raise productivity in low income sub-Saharan African countries so as to curb expenses on import and improving food security and livelihood in Nigeria and Africa as a whole, and the project is been funded by African Development Bank adding the rate at which states and farmers are accepting the production of wheat is quite interesting to showcase.

LCRI ED pointed that wheat consumption is rising rapidly in Sub Saharan Africa and import accounts for 70% of the region’ needs. Change is needed to protect ordinary Africans from the vagaries of global commodity markets and strengthen the continent’s wheat security adding currently Nigeria imports four million metric ton of wheat spending $4 billion every year that is expected to reach $10 billion by 2030 with consumption increasing to ten million metric.

 

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