The President of the African Development Bank Group Akinwumi Adesina has called on African governments to prepare for a global food crisis. 

A statement from the AfDB said Adesina made the comment while speaking about Africa’s priorities as a guest at the Atlantic Council’s Africa Centre on Friday.

“The African Development Bank is already active in mitigating the effects of a food crisis through the African Food Crisis Response and Emergency Facility – a dedicated facility being considered by the Bank to provide African countries with the resources needed to raise local food production and procure fertilizer,” the statement quoted him as saying.

“My basic principle is that Africa should not be begging. We must solve our own challenges ourselves without depending on others…”

According to him, the Ukraine-Russia war has impacts spreading to other parts of the world.

“He said the war’s ramifications spread far beyond Ukraine to other parts of the world, including Africa. He explained that Russia and Ukraine supply 30% of global wheat exports, the price of which has surged by almost 50% globally, reaching identical levels as during the 2008 global food crisis,” the AfDB statement added.

“He added that fertilizer prices had tripled, and energy prices had increased, all fueling inflation.”

 Jemima Yusuf