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.