Africa to become world's breadbasket: think-tank

With one-quarter of the world's arable land, the African continent has the potential not only to feed its people but to become the breadbasket of the world, the Post of Zambia reported on Wednesday.

Quoting the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis (FANRPAN), an agricultural-related think-tank, the paper said it is unfortunate that food security in Africa is still an aspiration.

"With one-quarter of the world's arable land, Africa produces only 10 percent of its total global output. More than 265 million people are still chronically hungry, yet Africa is estimated to hold 60 percent of the world's remaining uncultivated farmland," the organization's chief executive officer Lindiwe Sibanda was quoted as saying by the paper.

She said the stagnant agricultural productivity is a constant battle in Africa, exacerbated by limited access to agricultural inputs, water, markets and knowledge.

Sibanda said that the impacts of climate change have added yet another obstacle in front of African farmers.

"Developing countries stand to bear the brunt of climate change, while being the least resilient to extreme or erratic weather patterns, such as floods, droughts, salinity exposure and unpredictable rainfall," she added.


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