Smallholder farmers produce most of Africa’s food. But they often do so with minimal resources and little government support.
Equiping these farmers – mostly women – with tools, information, and supportive government policies is a key to feeding the continent and building environmentally sustainable economies.
In an IDRC lecture, distinguished agronomist Namanga Ngongi evaluated the promising initial results of Africa’s “green revolution,” including increased access to supplies, finance, and markets, as well as improved production.
Namanga Ngongi is President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa.
He began his career with Cameroon’s Ministry of Agriculture after receiving a PhD in Agronomy and Crop Science from Cornell University.
He then served as representative to the United Nations’ food agencies in Rome before beginning a lengthy tenure at the World Food Programme, which included his posting as Deputy Executive Director.