African nations urged to promote inclusive agriculture

African nations have been urged to build an inclusive and transformative agricultural sector to boost food security and nutrition amid the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change challenges.

Hailemariam Desalegn, chairman of the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa, said on Wednesday that the Covid-19 pandemic has made it urgent to promote inclusive agriculture that brings every country in the continent and citizens on board, Xinhua news agency reported.

"In the context of Covid pandemic and climatic challenges, Africa must work with its youth, women, men, children and political leaders to change its food system," he said at a virtual event during the launch of this year's African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) Summit to be held from September 6 to 10 in Nairobi.

The AGRF will provide opportunities for Kenya and other African countries to showcase how agriculture can accelerate prosperity.

The former Ethiopian prime minister noted that there is still a lot that needs to be covered in terms of fixing Africa's food systems, which are broken.

"We are producing more food but many Africans still face food insecurity due to post-harvest losses and wastage," he said.

He called on Africa's heads of state to make a presidential commitment to boost agricultural production.

Peter Munya, Kenya's cabinet secretary of Ministry of Agriculture, said Africa must embrace agricultural technology and finance the sector to increase food production.