The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, has said that harnessing Africa’s agricultural potential can serve as the much-needed game changer of the continent’s economy.

“A bold plan to transform agriculture will boost local food production, reduce food import bills, conserve foreign exchange, increase domestic savings and assure strong macroeconomic and fiscal stability,” the AfDB President emphasized.

In its bid to contribute to promoting Senegal as an information and communications technology (ICT) centre of excellence and a destination for the establishment of call centers, e-commerce, software development, wireless Internet facilities and other ICT market segments, the African Development Bank (AfDB) will inject €70.61 million in the sector.

The Board of Directors approved the Senegal Digital Technology Park project on Wednesday, October 21, 2015, at its ordinary session held in Abidjan chaired by First Vice-President and COO, Emmanuel Mbi. 

Delegates from across the globe are converging on Dakar, Senegal, for a landmark conference on agriculture that promises to yield one of the boldest initiatives ever taken on Africa’s development.

Some 400 participants including Finance, Planning, Economy, Agriculture, Rural Development, Trade and Industry Ministers as well as Central Bank Governors are joining business leaders, academia, investment agencies, civil society and global experts in Dakar from October 21-23, to discuss the future of Africa’s agriculture.

The African Development Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved on Wednesday, October 14 a loan of US $30 million to the Government of Zambia for the Skills Development and Entrepreneurship Project Supporting Women and Youth.

The project is designed to promote job creation, gender equality and poverty reduction amongst young cassava producers to enable inclusive economic growth and sustainable livelihoods development.

On October 21-23, Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economy, as well as Ministers of Agriculture, Rural Development, Trade and Industry and Governors of Central Banks will join business leaders, academia, investment agencies, civil society and global experts in Dakar, Senegal, to discuss the future and transformation of agriculture in Africa.