(Ecofin Agency) - Each year, Africa spends up to $15 billion in wheat imports. According to experts attending the on-going Support to Agricultural Research for Development of Strategic Crops (SARD-CS), this amount will increase in the coming years.

According to Zimbabwe’s Mechanisation and Irrigation Development secretary Ringson Chitsiko, the situation is due to Africa’s lack of passion in agriculture. “We should have passion. If we feel passionate about domesticating wheat on the continent we can reduce the import bill and use the money for infrastructural development,” he said.

DR. Tolessa Debele, wheat production expert, who analyzed the situation, said Africa records returns that are excessively weak as it uses inappropriate technologies and lacks innovation in its grain production chain. 

Coordinator of SARD-CS, Dr. Solomon Assefa highlights that it is important to pay attention to successes of countries like Ethiopia which were able to achieve encouraging results with a high level of political commitment.

Aaron Akinocho