As the war in Ukraine rages with its attendant effect on Nigeria and globally, the African Development Bank, AFDB, has earmarked $1.5 billion for African Emergency Food Plan, in order to avert and cushion the impending food crisis in Africa..
The food plan is awaiting the ratification of the bank’s board. President of AfDB, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, who met with President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja,
He said said owing to the war, the price of wheat has gone up about 60%, as well as maize and other grains not be spared from the crisis, noting that there may be fertiliser crisis, as there would be about two million metric tons deficit.
“To prepare against the evil day, the AfDB has developed a $1.5 billion Africa Emergency Food Plan, which is now before the bank’s board for approval.
“It will affect food production by about 20%. Africa will lose $11 billion worth of food, and coming shortly after COVID-19, that would be rather serious,” the AfDB President disclosed.
Buhari said the management of AfDB deserved accolades for planning ahead of whatever negative consequences may come from the Russia-Ukraine war in terms of food security.
Buhari said, “Thank you for knowing our weaknesses and our strengths, and for planning and working ahead,” President Buhari said.
“We are very much aware of the need for food security, and to encourage our local farmers, that was why we closed our borders for about two years to curb smuggling. We made some progress”, he said.
Continuing, Adesina said the Russia-Ukraine war would create global problems, and particularly for Africa, which imports a huge percentage of its food from the two countries. He added: “We were not ready for COVID-19, but we are now planning to avert food crisis on the continent.
There is plan to help farmers cultivate wheat, maize, rice, sorghum, and soybeans. It will mitigate the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war.”
Talking specifically of Nigeria, the Nigerian-born Adesina, and a former Minister of Agriculture, said in the wet season of 2