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ST PETERSBURG - Food security in Africa will be a key area of discussion during the Second Russia–Africa Summit and Economic and Humanitarian Forum starting on July 27 in Russia's second-largest city, St Petersburg.

A panel discussion titled: Russia and Africa: Partnership for Food Sovereignty will be addressed by Konstantin Babkin, President of the Rosspetsmash Association and President of the New Commonwealth Industrial Union, Andrey Guryev, President of the Russian Association of Fertiliser producers (RAFP), Boris Listov, chairperson of the Management Board of the Russian Agricultural Bank and Benedict Okey Oramah,8 the president and chairperson of the board of directors of the African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank). 

The moderator will be Oleg Ozerov, the ambassador at-large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Africa is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world in terms of food security, despite agriculture employing more than 60% of its labour force and contributing to about a third of the continent's GDP.

However, 278 million people: 20% of Africa's population, are suffering from chronic hunger. 

The only way to solve this problem is to achieve food sovereignty. This is a realistic possibility due to the continent's immense agricultural potential. Experts estimate that 60% of Africa's fertile land is underutilised.

Participants in the Russia and Africa: Partnership for Food Sovereignty panel will discuss what is needed to realise this potential and how Russia can help Africa in developing its agricultural infrastructure.

“Russia is a supplier of products that ensure food security: grains, fertilisers, and their components. This issue is becoming more and more acute. 

According to the latest UN report, the number of hungry people in Africa is growing. But, during the Second Russia–Africa Summit, we will also discuss establishing our own production on the continent, and African countries would like to receive agricultural technology and equipment from Russia. 

This issue is also related to food security, and it will be discussed within the framework of both the political Summit and the Economic and Humanitarian Forum,” Oleg Ozerov said.

The panel discussion will start at 09:00am Russian time in pavilion G, conference hall G6.

The Second Russia–Africa Summit and Russia–Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum is organized by the Roscongress Foundation.