Wheat is one of the most important staple crops in the world, providing food, feed, and income for millions of people. However, in West and Central Africa (WCA), wheat production is very low, despite the growing demand for wheat products. To address this challenge, stakeholders in the wheat value chain have joined forces to upscale wheat production and productivity in the region.
The stakeholders, who include researchers, policymakers, farmers, processors, and traders, met at the West and Central Africa Wheat Summit in Abuja, Nigeria, on December 1, 2023. The summit, with the theme “Upscaling Investment in the Wheat Value Chain in West and Central Africa”, aimed to create job opportunities, enhance food security, and promote sustainable wheat sector development in the sub-region.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Africa produced around 30.5 million metric tons of wheat in the trade year 2021/2022, but consumed more than 50 million metric tons, resulting in a huge import gap. The WCA region accounted for less than 10% of the continent’s wheat production, mainly due to low yields, inadequate inputs, poor infrastructure, and weak policies.
To close this gap, the stakeholders advocated for an inward-looking approach to sustainable wheat production, given the “weaponization potential of wheat” in international politics. They also drew inspiration from Brazil’s success story in achieving wheat self-sufficiency, despite having similar agro-ecological conditions as the WCA region.
WECAWheat Regional Network Coordinator, Prof. Benjamin Ubi, said wheat cultivation holds immense potential in West and Central Africa, especially with favourable agroecologies supporting both irrigated and rainfed production. He added that the summit would produce a comprehensive roadmap that would outline strategies for upscaling investments in the wheat value chain and promote regional collaboration and innovation.
One of the key strategies discussed at the summit was the adoption of improved wheat varieties that are more productive, resilient, and suitable for local preferences and markets. The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and its partners have developed and released several wheat varieties that can withstand high temperatures, drought, and diseases, as well as meet the quality standards of consumers and processors.
Dr. Kevin Pixley, Director of the Global Wheat Programme at CIMMYT, said that these varieties could help increase wheat productivity and sustainability in the WCA region, and reduce the dependence on imports. He also called for more profitable models and better access to improved seed through community-based seed production schemes.
Another strategy highlighted at the summit was the improvement of post-harvest handling and processing of wheat, which are often hampered by high costs, low efficiency, and poor quality. Dr. Tata Fon Emmanuel, CEO of Afrobrains Cameroon, said that reforms were needed to overhaul the entire wheat value chain, from farm to fork, and to create value-added products that could compete with imported ones.
The summit also featured an exhibition of wheat products from different countries, showcasing the diversity and potential of wheat as a food and industrial crop. The participants expressed their commitment to implementing the recommendations of the summit and to scaling up wheat production in the WCA region.
The summit was organized by the WECAWheat Regional Network, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nigeria, the African Development Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, and other partners.
The organizers hope that the summit will catalyze the transformation of the wheat sector in West and Central Africa, and contribute to the socio-economic development of the region.
Source: Leadership
