Press release
Britain to help Africa achieve greater food security and fight malnutrition Britain will improve food supply and farming across Africa to help pull 50 million people out of chronic poverty over the next ten years in conjunction with the private sector, International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell announced today.
The UK will join G8 nations, African countries, aid agencies and 45 leading multinational and African companies in a new alliance to help millions of African farmers boost their productivity and help poor farmers produce more reliable crops and healthier livestock.
Announced in Washington ahead of the G8 leaders’ meeting, the New Alliance for Food and Nutrition Security is expected to increase average agriculture sector growth rates by 1.5 per cent per year over 10 years across sub-Saharan Africa.
Britain’s contribution will include the first ever support to the World Bank’s Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP) fund helping it to expand agricultural investment in low-income countries.
Secretary of State for International Development Andrew Mitchell said: “It is shameful that one in three people in Africa go to bed desperately hungry every night. Hunger is directly linked to poverty, so farmers need investment and support if they are to grow more nutritious food and escape the threat of harvest failure.
“Governments cannot tackle this challenge alone. The skills, resources and financial expertise of leading private businesses will help transform African agriculture, giving poor farmers the chance to pull themselves out of poverty, hunger and malnutrition.”