By Gift Briton
The African Agricultural Technology Foundation(AATF) has launched a new strategic plan that will transform African agriculture in order to achieve a prosperous, resilient, food and nutrition-secure continent.
Through its 2023-2027 strategy plan, AATF has committed to deploying and upscaling Next Generation (NextGen) agricultural technologies among African farmers.
The organization aims to achieve this change through a three-tier approach including diversifying agricultural technologies and expanding frontiers for NextGen products in Africa, acceleration of commercialization and scaling of agricultural technologies, and promotion of a functional enabling environment for increased uptake of agricultural technologies and efficient markets.
Speaking at the launch of the strategy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in May 2023, Dr. Canisius Kanangire, the AATF Executive Director, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to providing farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa with practical technology solutions to overcome farm productivity constraints, adding that “The new strategy also expressly focuses on increasing the participation and benefits for youth and women in agriculture.”
Also, Dr. Aggrey Ambali, the Chairperson, AATF Board of Trustees, emphasized the organization’s plan of improving the existing technologies and transforming them into super NextGen technologies capable of effectively addressing the many challenges faced by African farmers due to emerging challenges in the region.
Through a recorded video to participants, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, former President Federal Republic of Nigeria and AATF Ambassador for Agriculture Technology in Africa registered expressed his pleasure with AATF’s goal of a food-secure and economically vibrant Africa stressing that agriculture plays a key role in meeting the food needs of a growing global population in Africa that is estimated to reach 1.8 billion by 2035.
“I look forward to spreading the message on the benefits of technology for Africa’s farmers, particularly smallholders. The long-term vision and objectives outlined in the AATF Strategic Plan 2023-2027 will build on our continental and global commitments to end hunger and poverty on this continent,” he observed.
While delivering his goodwill message at the launch, Hon. Dr. Belete Molla, Cabinet Minister, Ministry of Innovation and Technology, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, noted that Africa is no longer in the era of talking about embracing technologies, but rather choosing modern technologies that have been proven to transform economies.
“Africa should aggressively invest in science, technology and innovation (STI) to cushion the continent from ravaging poverty that is still affecting most countries in the region,” said Dr. Molla, adding that Africa-led organizations such as AATF are practically working to respond to agricultural challenges through technology and ultimately creating wealth for farmers in Africa.
