Africa Climate Summit outlines agricultural development strategy to mitigate the pending food crisis

Following the recent African Food Summit in Nairobi, CGTN Africa interviewed Dr Enock Chikava, the Interim Director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Agricultural Development Unit. The conversation focused on assessing the impact of climate issues on agriculture and the pertinent measures currently engaged by CGIAR and national agencies to mitigate the pending food crisis in the African region.

As the temperature in Africa is projected to rise faster than the global average, many sub-Saharan countries will experience an average temperature rise of 2 degrees from 2025 to 2040. Responding to how this temperature rise will affect yield, Chivaka said, “African countries are already experiencing a yield reduction and may even see yield decimated further without funding for sustainable research to mitigate foreseen food crises. When productivity at the global level reduced to 20% from 1961 to 2015, Africa experienced a 40% decrease.” This calls for intensive intervention in the African climes, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation commits to increasing productivity despite drought, pests, and diseases to focus on innovations of Africa’s indigenous crops.