On July 27, the business program of the second Russia—Africa Summit and Economic and Humanitarian Forum on "Integrated Security and Sovereign Development" will begin with a panel discussion titled "Russia and Africa: Partnership for Food Sovereignty," the Roscongress Foundation has stated.
CEOs and representatives of various Russian companies and state bodies connected to food production and distribution, including the Russian Association of Fertilizer Producers (RAFP), Rosselkhoznadzor, as well as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) Benedict Ok Orama, will be speakers at the panel discussion.
According to the Roscongress Foundation, Africa is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world in terms of food security, although agriculture employs more than 60% of the workforce there and agricultural products account for about a third of the continent's GDP.
Moreover, data shows that 20% of Africa's population, some 278 million people, suffers from chronic hunger.
Only the achievement of food sovereignty can solve this problem, and this solution is possible, as the agricultural potential of the continent is huge, the foundation stated. According to experts, 60% of the fertile land is not used in Africa.
Participants of the discussion "Russia and Africa: Partnership for Food Sovereignty" will share their opinions on what is needed to realize this potential and how Russia can help Africa develop agricultural infrastructure.
"Russia is a supplier of products that ensure food security: grain, fertilizers or their components. This topic 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 talk about setting up our own production on the continent, and African countries would like to receive agricultural technologies and equipment from Russia. The topic also relates to food security, and it will be discussed within the framework of both a political summit and an economic and humanitarian forum," Oleg Ozerov said.
The panel discussion will begin at 09:00 at Pavilion G, Conference Hall G6.
The Roscongress Foundation is one of the organizers of the second summit and the Russia—Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum.