ADB’s support to agriculture hits $3b
Apr 06, 2004
THE Africa Development Bank (ADB) has committed over $3b to agriculture and rural development since 1996.
By Mary Karugaba and Henry Mukasa
THE Africa Development Bank (ADB) has committed over $3b to agriculture and rural development since 1996.
The bank’s operations vice-president, Theodore Nkodo, said this was in line with its poverty reduction mission.
“This is about 28% of the total commitments of ADB during the period,†Nkodo said at the recently concluded food conference at Munyonyo.
He said the bank considered small scale farmers as the dominant private sector group in rural economies.
“In line with our strategy to enhance rural economies, we complement our interventions in agriculture with investment in rural infrastructure such as market centers and rural electrification all aimed at market access for farmers,†Nkodo said.
He said low agricultural productivity was due to weather constraints, high post-harvest losses and poor access to markets.
Nkodo said food insecurity in Africa was a major challenge for most countries. He said 300m people in sub-Saharan Africa live in abject poverty.
Nkodo said the bank also finances investments to create labor-intensive, non-farm rural employment opportunities, especially off-season income generating activities for the rural poor.
THE Africa Development Bank (ADB) has committed over $3b to agriculture and rural development since 1996.
The bank’s operations vice-president, Theodore Nkodo, said this was in line with its poverty reduction mission.
“This is about 28% of the total commitments of ADB during the period,†Nkodo said at the recently concluded food conference at Munyonyo.
He said the bank considered small scale farmers as the dominant private sector group in rural economies.
“In line with our strategy to enhance rural economies, we complement our interventions in agriculture with investment in rural infrastructure such as market centers and rural electrification all aimed at market access for farmers,†Nkodo said.
He said low agricultural productivity was due to weather constraints, high post-harvest losses and poor access to markets.
Nkodo said food insecurity in Africa was a major challenge for most countries. He said 300m people in sub-Saharan Africa live in abject poverty.
Nkodo said the bank also finances investments to create labor-intensive, non-farm rural employment opportunities, especially off-season income generating activities for the rural poor.