Agnes Kalibata on transforming African agriculture

Robin Davies speaks with Dr Agnes Kalibata, who has led the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa for the past decade and previously served as Rwanda's Minister of Agriculture, in which role she helped achieve remarkable reductions in poverty and malnutrition.

In this discussion, Kalibata explains AGRA's evolution as a bridge between research organisations, funders and rural communities. She emphasises the importance of developing locally-appropriate solutions rather than attempting to replicate European (or Australian) agricultural models. AGRA's focus on building sustainable ecosystems through small-scale enterprises worth $100,000-$200,000 has been crucial in transforming rural communities.

Kalibata discusses how AGRA works across 15 countries, particularly in Eastern and Southern Africa, to improve access to improved seeds, fertilisers and agricultural technologies. She highlights the organisation's success in helping governments design nationwide programs that can reach millions of farmers simultaneously. The interview explores the significant challenges posed by climate change, which she identifies as becoming "real" for African agriculture from 2015, and the need to adapt farming practices accordingly.

Looking ahead to COP31 — potentially hosted by Australian together with the Pacific island countries — Kalibata emphasises the critical importance of addressing climate change impacts on African agriculture and calls for leadership in supporting those most affected by climate challenges.

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