AFRICA needs to increase its annual food production by 70 per cent by 2030 to enable it to sufficiently feed its population, according to a new United Nations report.

The report, launched this week, warns that unless this increase in production is achieved much of the continent could be plunged into severe food insecurity.

Experts predict that Africa’s present population of around 1.3 billion will increase to about 2.5 billion by the beginning of the next decade, which would create many more mouths to feed.

Ghana’s chief director at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Patrick Robert Ankobiah, said the Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that annually up to 40 per cent of food crops were lost due to plant pests and others.

He also said smallholder farmers continued to use highly toxic plant protection products that were not sustainable for agriculture production and were potentially harmful to human, livestock and environmental health.

“Increase in climate events, outbreaks of pests such as the fall armyworm and high input prices can contribute to low production levels. Therefore, any programme that will address some of these factors of food insecurity is very welcomed,” he said.

But a new body, called PlantwisePlus has been set up to help boost food production on the continent.

PlantwisePlus is a new centre for an Agriculture and Bioscience International-led worldwide programme that will work in partnership with African nations.

Ghana is one of the six PlantwisePlus countries, alongside Kenya, Pakistan, Zambia, Bangladesh and Uganda that will work together on systems for improved plant health management. 

PlantwisePlus has already been working with other agencies to support female farmers in Africa who have been identified as key to future agriculture development on the continent.

Earlier this month, a report by the British Red Cross said 146 million people across Africa are facing extreme hunger.