By Chris Ochayi

Minister and Deputy Chairman, National Planning Commission, Dr Shamsuddeen Usman, said yesterday that the African countries are endowed with knowledge, the technology and the means to end hunger and food insecurity and therefore must stop begging for food.

Dr. Usman who stated this at the launching of the Africa Human Development Report 2012, added that a number of African countries, including Malawi, have shown that this can be achieved rather quickly, but what have been missing are political will and dedicated action.”

The Africa Human Development Report 2012 with theme “Towards a Food Secure Future” was organised by the UNDP in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture at Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja.

Dr Usman further revealed that, Nigeria has however, demonstrated that political will in the Agricultural Transformation Agenda, which President Jonathan himself is the council’s chairman.

According to him, “in Nigeria, Agricultural Transformation Agenda being pursued by this administration combines both political will, as typified by the inauguration by President Goodluck Jonathan last week of the Agricultural Transformation Council, of which he is Chairman, and the dedicated action represented by the detailed programme and projects in the Agenda, which the Honourable Minister of Agriculture is championing”

Dr Usman has always been an advocate for Africa’s self reliance in attaining its developmental needs. Only recently in far away Morocco, North Africa, during the African economic summit that was held in the city of Marakesh, he called on the donor agencies and development partners operating in Nigeria to prioritise investment over aid given to African countries.

The event was specially graced by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and President of All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, a former governor and now Senator, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu