By Grace A. Aderele
The Executive Director African Agriculture Technology Foundation (AATF), Dr Canisius Kanangire, has assured African farmers of the foundation’s efforts to ensure improved food production through new technologies.
He spoke at a lecture delivered at the 2021 Agriculture, Natural Resources Policy Dialogue Network (FANRPAN) which took place in Kenya, Nairobi, last week.
He said policy dialogue has proven that technology plays a major role in the improvement of food products across all sectors.
Dr. Kanangire expressed the determination of the foundation, in collaboration with other institutions, to encourage small-holder farmers to facilitate access to quality and affordable technologies in agriculture sector which will stimulate increase in food production and income among smallholder farmers in Africa.
According to him, the Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) driven by AATF, one of the Eco-friendly methods which has increased maize varieties, up by a number of 40-60 percent, would boost maize production.
He added that his foundation and partners in Nigeria had released a new Pod Borer Resistant cowpea variety, a GM food crop for cultivation outside South Africa.
Dr Kanangire said the foundation was encouraging mechanization and Agro-processing through its Cassava Mechanization and Agro-Processing Project (CAMAP) and AgriDrive.
