Former Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has called on African governments to adopt deliberate policies that would make it easier for farmers to access affordable credit.
He said such measures are critical if the continent hopes to address its growing food insecurity and unlock the vast potential of its agricultural sector.
Speaking during the opening plenary of the second edition of the African Conference on Agricultural Technologies (ACAT) held in Kigali, Rwanda, Jonathan stressed the importance of derisking agricultural loans and revisiting stringent collateral demands that continue to hinder many farmers from securing financing.
“African governments must be deliberate with their policies towards promoting agriculture and incentivising farmers,” Jonathan declared.
“If the government does not support farmers, it will be difficult in this part of the world to produce enough food for our population.”
He also urged African central banks to develop frameworks that would encourage commercial banks to lend to farmers.
“That is why I believe that the central banks of African countries must come up with models that would encourage commercial banks to lend to farmers,” he stated.
Recalling his administration’s achievements, Jonathan mentioned the introduction of the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), a $350 million initiative aimed at de-risking agricultural loans.
“It became a successful programme that ensured that farmers had easy access to loans,” he said.
He added that by the end of his tenure, the share of total bank lending to agriculture rose from a mere 0.5 percent to 5 percent.
“It was a bold step that proved what is possible when political will meets vision,” he explained.
Jonathan, who currently serves as a goodwill ambassador for the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), did not hold back in urging African ministers of agriculture to bring focus, competence, and a clear sense of purpose to their roles.
He praised the leadership of Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, the current President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), who served as his agriculture minister during the 2014 floods in Nigeria.
According to him, Adesina’s competence ensured that Nigerians were not plunged into hunger during that difficult period. “We must replicate this kind of leadership across the continent,” he said.
Jonathan passionately described Africa as being at a “historic crossroads,” with two possible futures. “On one road lies the continued struggle with food insecurity. On the other lies a bold vision Africa as a global powerhouse in food and nutritional security, powered by innovation and transformative investment,” he declared.
He noted that the continent possesses 60 percent of the world’s uncultivated arable land and a rapidly growing youthful population, describing them as “untapped assets that could power a global agricultural revolution.”
While underscoring the potential of technological innovations such as drones, AI tools, satellite imaging, and precision farming, Jonathan warned that these alone are not enough.
“Technology alone will not suffice. We need strong policies, supportive infrastructure, and deep collaboration. No single country, institution, or actor can transform African agriculture alone,” he stated.
He urged African nations to honour the commitments made under the Maputo and Malabo Declarations by allocating at least 10 percent of their national budgets to agriculture.
He also called on private investors and development partners to see agriculture not as charity, but as a strategic imperative.
“For far too long, agricultural investment in Africa has been sporadic, short-term, and donor-dependent. This must change,” he insisted. “We must invest in our farmers, especially women and youth. They are the backbone of our food systems.”
Jonathan further advocated deeper collaboration among African countries, especially through institutions like the African Union and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), to improve intra-African trade and standardise agricultural practices.
Echoing Jonathan’s message, Rwanda’s Prime Minister, Dr. Edouard Ngirente, who formally opened the conference, urged immediate and focused action to revolutionise agriculture through technology and innovation.
He also emphasised the urgent need to scale up climate-smart farming practices in the face of worsening climate challenges.
The ACAT conference, now in its second edition, is a four-day event co-hosted by the Government of Rwanda through its Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Resources (MINAGRI) and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF).
The event attracted over 900 participants including scientists, farmers, policymakers, and investors from around the globe.
