African leaders asked to invest in agriculture

African leaders must invest in their nation's respective agricultural industries, Kanayo Nwanze, the president of the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development says. Agriculture is essential in ending the continent's food crisis, and is an essential component of economic and social change, Nwanze says.

P>LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The forum, scheduled to be held in Tanzania this week will recognize that agriculture is the engine for economic growth.

"Basically in the last 30 years, agriculture in Africa has received what I will describe as a disinvestment, similar to the way the international community disinvested in Africa. Because of the food crisis in 2007, 2008 there is now a re-focusing on agriculture when some governments were investing, in some cases, less than four percent of their budgets into agriculture," he said.

Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete is scheduled to host the forum, which will explore opportunities that can unlock the continent's growth potential.

"Africa has been growing despite the economic instability that is facing the world today. We will have the opportunity to examine the strategy of Africa for today to ensure that there is a better tomorrow," Kikwete says.

Eleven heads of state and more than 1,000 participants from over 85 countries are expected to attend the three-day conference dubbed "Rethinking Africa's Growth Strategy."

The three-day meeting in Dar-es-Salaam is expected to provide participants with a platform on how they are facing up to the challenges brought about by the recent economic crisis. Attendees will also share how they are using the crisis as an opportunity to redesign a sustainable roadmap for Africa's future.

"Governments as well as the development community today recognize that agriculture is the engine for economic growth and that we must invest in agriculture on a sustainable basis," Nwanze says.

The forum will also have an interactive brainstorming session that will also examine the barriers to social and economic progress in the coming year.

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