Agriculture ‘engine of growth' that Africa needs

Agriculture must become the engine for growth that Africa needs to eradicate hunger and boost sustainable food production, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said today.Speaking at a side event on the margins of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Graziano da Silva called on Africa to step up its efforts."More than one out of every five of its citizens is still denied the right to food," the Director-General said. Noting that most of the 10 fastest growing economies in the world are in Africa, he stressed that the region had the power to change the situation.The challenge for Africa is to make this economic growth more inclusive by targeting agricultural and rural development, women and young people, he said.Some 75 percent of Africans are 25 years old and under, and the population is expected to remain largely rural for the next 35 years, with women heading up many households."Agriculture is the only sector of the economy capable of absorbing this workforce," the Director-General said. "There is no inclusive and sustainable way forward for Africa without women, youth and agriculture