BUUMBA CHIMBULU writes
@SunZambian
JAPAN will help double annual rice production in Africa to 56 million tonnes by 2030, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said.
Mr Abe said this meant Japan would help double rice output in Africa by 2030.
He was speaking in Japan during the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) which ended on Friday last week.
Mr Abe called for reform of the African agriculture industry so that it would be attractive to investors and young workers.
“Japan’s carefully managed and patiently continued assistance, as well as Japanese companies’ advanced technical capabilities will contribute to long-sustained growth of Africa,” he said.
During the same meeting, Japan and the African Development Bank (AfDB) announced a joint target of US$3.5 billion under the Enhanced Private Sector Assistance for Africa initiative (EPSA4) to spur investment on the continent.
Both Japan and the bank set a target of US$1.75 billion each, from 2020-2022, to enhance the fourth phase of EPSA to spur private-sector-led sustainable and inclusive growth in Africa.
Japan’s State Minister of Finance Keisuke Suzuki hoped the new EPSA initiative would lead to business, investment promotion and job creation in Africa.
“Building on the successful achievements so far, Japan and the bank have decided to upgrade EPSA in both quality and quantity to meet financial needs for infrastructure development as well as for the private sector development in Africa,” Mr Suzuki said.
AfDB president Akinwumi Adesina said Africa needed such partnerships to meet its needs.
Dr Adesina said the partnership would help Africa to build upon the solid foundations of co-financing over the last 13 years, and deliver greater and more impactful development results in the years ahead.
“Today marks another day to celebrate the strong and impactful partnership between Japan and the African Development Bank.
“The African Development Bank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency are long-term partners for promoting the development of Africa. EPSA helps to deliver much needed to support the private sector,” Dr Adesina said.
