world food prizePresident of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina, has called for Japanese investment in the agribusiness sector in Africa.
Adesina, who made the call at the 2018 Tokyo Nobel Prize Dialogue on The Future of Food in Yokohama, commended the Japanese Government for its support to the Bank’s several initiatives and its multi-billion dollar economic transformation partnership with Africa.
He said that Japanese support had been felt in the private sector, energy and infrastructure development.
He further stressed the importance of the Bank’s Transformation of the African Savannah Initiative (TASI) and Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) programme towards scaling up agricultural technologies for millions of farmers and reducing Africa’s widening and expensive net food trade deficit.
Adesina highlighted the importance of good nutrition, especially for young mothers and babies.
“Stunted children today mean stunted economies tomorrow”, he said.
He also spoke on the forthcoming Africa Investment Forum (AIF).
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“The Africa Investment Forum (AIF), scheduled for November 7-9, 2018 in Johannesburg, South Africa, is an ideal platform for this new approach to funding projects in Africa. Through the Africa Investment Forum, the bank and other partner multilateral development banks will create a platform for bankable projects, investment financing, and opportunities for growing infrastructure investment across Africa.
“The Africa Investment Forum is a 100% totally transactional platform, where deals will be concretised and executed. I expect the platform to become Africa’s premier investment marketplace,” he stated.
Adesina’s visit to Japan also featured meetings with top officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso, Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs, Masatsugu Asakawa, key Government Ministers, and stakeholders, to consider issues of mutual concern.
By Nurudeen Alimi
The Nation News
