Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has urged African leaders to move beyond declarations on agricultural transformation and take concrete action to boost productivity, food security, jobs and economic growth.
As the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) Goodwill Ambassador for Agricultural Technology, Jonathan spoke on September 2 at the AATF Investors Forum in Kigali, held alongside the African Food Systems Forum.
He said Africa already has major agricultural frameworks, including the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and the Malabo Declaration, but must now translate them into investments, policies and programmes that deliver results for farmers.
“Turning this agenda from declaration into tangible impact requires three elements working in concert: proven technologies that raise productivity and strengthen resilience; patient capital that enables long-term investment and growth; and commercialization at scale that connects innovation to markets and farmers to opportunity,” Jonathan said.
He stressed that agriculture must be central to Africa’s development, noting its links to food security, industrialisation, youth employment and climate resilience.
“Put simply, if Africa is to achieve the growth, prosperity, and development to which it aspires, agriculture must be at the center of our efforts,” he said.
Jonathan also called for greater youth participation in agri-food systems, urging governments to provide incentives and an enabling environment for young people to invest and innovate.
He warned that Africa’s food systems face mounting pressure from climate shocks, population growth, youth unemployment and persistent gaps in storage, processing and market access.
Addressing these challenges, he said, requires stronger partnerships among governments, research institutions, the private sector, farmers, development partners and investors.
Jonathan also emphasised the need to scale proven agricultural technologies beyond laboratories and pilot projects to farmers across the continent.
He said AATF’s next phase should focus on scaling existing technologies while developing new solutions for African farmers.
“AATF’s next decade will be shaped by two priorities that must advance together: scaling technologies that have already been proven to reach farmers’ fields, and developing the next generation of solutions for our farmers,” he said.
Jonathan urged investors and development partners to support AATF with capital, expertise and networks, saying sustained investment and collaboration are essential to transforming Africa’s agriculture.
He said the challenge for Africa is no longer to define its agricultural vision, but to finance it, implement it and deliver results at scale.
