KIGALI - African governments should raise their investment in the agricultural sector if they are to avert the periodic food crisis and reduce the number of hungry people on the continent, instead of putting all hopes in the private sector.

These remarks were made by Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, the African Union (AU) Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture and an advocate of the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Programme (CAADP).

She said that governments’ investment in the sector is still very low and yet the problem of food insecurity is still at large.

"Agriculture is a public good. African countries should do what other countries in the developed world do by fully supporting agriculture. I am aware that the private sector is important and can play a lead role.”

"But as far as food security is concerned, the private sector cannot do it. From the time governments reduced investment in agriculture, the private sector never picked up. Today as I speak, Africa spends $33bn on importing food,” Tumusiime said.

She noted that African countries have been cutting the amount of money budgeted for agriculture from about US$18bn 30 years ago to US$4bn today, leaving most of the work to the Private sector.

"In spite of the fact that the population has been growing and the soils are getting depleted, we cannot say we are investing enough---it is not yet the expected levels even where it was 30 years ago.

"The private sector can only play a role in agriculture when the government has already put it correct, unless government is able to facilitate, put in place the initial investments, initial infrastructure or the marketing systems, the private sector will not come in.”

"Agriculture on the continent was flourishing some years ago, until governments started reducing the investment support. The private sector can only come in where they can make profits and we need to move agriculture to a reasonable level for them to come,” said the AU Commissioner.

She noted that food security cannot be ‘privatised’ as African countries want to do it and it is the reason the food crisis hasn’t receded hence the need for African governments to rethink and repackage their approaches to agricultural development.

Tumusiime noted that there is an increase of hungry people with 1 billion people globally.

She revealed that the G8 and G20 meetings held this year at L’Aquila, Italy and Pittsburgh, USA respectively, initiated a food security facility where they pledged more money, but warned that African countries also have to play their part.

"We have to get the African leadership take the lead. You cannot rely on somebody to scratch your back, you must also help by doing something and we are glad the African leaders reiterated their commitment to support food security in Sirte, Libya,” She said.

The AU official hailed Rwanda on the crop intensification programme, saying that ‘Rwanda is doing extremely well thanks to the leadership’.

"The intensification level is far ahead of many African countries. It is actually a champion for us. If we can get the marketing systems for the farmers, I think they would do very well. Rwanda is the champion for Africa.” Tumusiime noted.

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