Former Nigeria President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has cautioned that the African continent may face severe economic repercussions from the Coronavirus pandemic if measures are not implemented to bolster agriculture in the region.
As of Thursday morning, the African continent has recorded 72,391 cases of Coronavirus, resulting in 2,493 deaths and 25,269 recoveries. Nigeria has reported 4,971 cases of the novel Coronavirus.
Obasanjo and ex-Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Desalegn Boshe, have outlined the necessary actions Africa must take in order to survive post-Covid-19.
Providing the warning on Thursday during a publication on the International Fund for Agricultural Development’s website, Obasanjo and Boshe emphasized, “Africa has so far avoided the worst health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, the continent seems likely to bear the brunt of the economic aftermath of the crisis: 80 million Africans could be pushed into extreme poverty without intervention. Disruptions in food systems also raise the prospect of increased hunger among Africans.
“Rural populations, many of whom are employed in small-scale farming, are particularly susceptible to the impacts of the crisis. It is therefore imperative that the COVID-19 response addresses food security and focuses on the rural poor.
“Agriculture accounts for 65 per cent of Africa’s employment and 75 per cent of its domestic trade. However, the significant potential of agriculture as a means to enhance food security and combat poverty is jeopardized by the effects of COVID-19.”
“The impact of restrictive measures on food trade is especially concerning, particularly for food-importing countries, and also due to the shrinking export markets for the continent’s farmers.
“African governments have established stimulus measures to alleviate the national and regional economic repercussions of COVID-19. As they do so, they must bear in mind that investments in agriculture can be up to five times more effective in reducing poverty than investments in other sectors.
“Small farms worldwide traditionally make a significant contribution to global food security. Small-farm dominated systems produce 50 per cent of all food calories on 30 per cent of the world’s agricultural land. In sub-Saharan Africa, however, the role of small-scale farms is even more crucial: 80 per cent of farms are small in most of these countries.”