His Excellency, President Dr. Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, participated in a significant high-level panel discussion focused on agricultural investment during his visit to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. The event, which took place on the third day of his visit, brought together a distinguished group of global agricultural and financial experts, including former World Bank Vice President Hafez Ghanem and the former Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The discussions primarily revolved around strategies to enhance agricultural investment and finance, with the overarching goal of improving food security and stimulating economic growth across the African continent. President Bio took the opportunity to express his views on the urgent need for Africa to transition from discussions to actionable initiatives concerning agricultural reintegration. He pointed out that despite decades of dialogue surrounding this critical issue, tangible progress has been frustratingly slow.
“Africa has signed up for regional economic integration, but we must ensure the free movement of goods and services across our borders,” President Bio remarked, emphasizing the necessity of fostering regional collaboration in agriculture. He called for mutual respect and commitment among African nations to work together towards shared agricultural goals.
The President also highlighted the importance of food sovereignty, arguing that Africa should focus on producing enough food not only for its domestic needs but also for export. “Agricultural transformation should not only focus on feeding our people; we must also position ourselves to export to neighboring countries like Liberia, Senegal, and Ghana, rather than depending on imports from Ukraine,” he asserted, underscoring the need for self-sufficiency in food production.
In explaining the purpose of his visit, President Bio noted his desire to personally observe best practices in agricultural development. “I did not want to rely solely on reports from my Agriculture Minister. I needed to see firsthand what is possible and explore opportunities for collaboration,” he stated.
As part of his itinerary, President Bio visited the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub, recognized as the first Agribusiness Transformation Centre in Nigeria under the African Development Bank’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone program. Accompanied by the Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, and other officials, President Bio expressed his appreciation for the facility’s role in advancing agricultural industrialization in Nigeria and its potential impact on the wider African region. The visit underscored his commitment to fostering agricultural innovation and collaboration across the continent.
