President Kenyata made the remarks at United Nations Complex in Nairobi Kenya when he opened the 2016 Agriculture Green Revolution Forum.
Kenyata said Africa needs to transform its agriculture, taking into consideration that people in the continent engage in agriculture for food and work.
“Unless we to stop taking agriculture as subsistent work and regard it as a business that will transform lives and grow industries for the countries, Africa will attain a green revolution,” said Uhuru.
The Kenyan leader urged other African leaders to take the green revolution of Africa and agriculture transformation seriously saying there is need to have a track record to all agreements and protocols signed on agriculture to ensure that they are being implemented in all member countries.
Uhuru Kenyata announced that his country will this year invest $200 million to agriculture for the next 5 years. The amount earmarked will assist over 150,000 youth farmers and young entrepreneurs to access markets and bank loans to develop the farming sector.
Making the commitment from the private sector Joshua Oigara group Chief Executive Officer for Kenya Commercial Bank pledged $350 million to finance agriculture in the next five years. This is a commitment the Agriculture Green Revolution Forum is advocating for not only from government but from the private sector too.
Strive Musiyiwa told the gathering that Africa’s agriculture will transform only if everyone take part in their own capacity.
“As Heads of State and Government, as well as business leaders are stepping up to make new public commitments to investing in their own countries' food security and nutrition, now is the moment for development agencies and other donors to seize the moment, embrace this call to action and support Africa in achieving its vision of a prosperous future free of poverty and hunger,” said Strive Masiyiwa, AGRA Board Chair and Founder and Executive Chairman of Econet Wireless International.
Other agriculture investors and development partners announcing new financial and policy commitments included: The African Development Bank, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, OCP Africa, World Food Programme, Yara International ASA, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
Strive Masiyiwa, called for other investors and partners to join the “Seize the Moment” campaign during the year ahead.
One of the African leaders present at the forum whose country has achieved big in agriculture according to the 2016 status report, Paul Kagame from Rwanda, said private sector needs to see agriculture as a sector that has potential to grow economies and should not fail to finance it.
“When resources are identified in Rwanda we channel them straight to programs that are already earmarked so much that there are no delays in agriculture projects. With this private sectors are also assured of commitment to use the funds for the intended purpose,” said Kagame.
On the side lines of the 2016 African Green revolution Forum former President of Nigeria H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo presented the first ever award called “Africa Food Prize” to Dr. Kanayo Nwanze, who is President of the of the Rome-based International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
This new, $100,000 award celebrates individuals and institutions that are changing the reality of farming in Africa from a struggle to survive to a business that thrives.
As farmers in eastern and southern Africa wrestle with severe drought, the Africa Food Prize arrives as a call for the bold thinking and technical innovation required to overcome this and an array of other challenges.
The Africa Food Prize Committee selected Dr. Nwanze for his outstanding leadership and passionate advocacy in putting Africa’s smallholder farmers at the center of the global agricultural agenda.
