Akinwumi Adesina has been unanimously re-elected as head of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group following yesterday's vote by the AfDB Board of Governors. The only candidate for re-election, the former Minister of Agriculture of Nigeria will begin a second five-year term from September 1. It is difficult to draw up a precise assessment of the impact of this first mandate on agriculture in Africa because projects are in progress, certain results are the result of ADB policies among others, without forgetting that the ADB was able to stimulate -or not- reforms or projects without this being the subject of funding as such.

Notwithstanding, Africa's agricultural situation has improved markedly over the past five years. The 2019 edition of the Bank's Annual Development Effectiveness Review (ADER) - from which is drawn the table below summarizing the AfDB's progress in the Feed Africa program between 2015 and 2018 - testifies that African agricultural exports have doubled in the past ten years. Africa's trade balance improved from $-38.9 billion in 2015 to $-24.8 billion in 2018. Agricultural productivity is increasing to $1,692 per worker from $1,544 in 2015.

141 million Africans used improved agricultural technologies

Akinwumi Adesina's first term as President of the Bank begins with his election on May 28, 2015. He then draws up a program based on 5 development priorities (the famous "High 5s") which consist in enlightening Africa and power it, industrialize it, integrate it, improve people's quality of life and feed Africa. To carry out this program, the first development finance institution in Africa increased its capital by 125% ($208 billion) during this first mandate.

Overall, 18 million people had access to electricity, 15 million people to financing from private investors, while 101 million people benefited from improved transport; 3,400 km of roads were built or rehabilitated in 2018 compared to 800 km in 2015.

AfDB says it has provided 141 million Africans with access to improved agricultural technologies while “19 million people have benefited from improved agriculture” through AfDB projects; 60 million people gained access to water and sanitation. In addition, the Bank would have significantly increased the supply of inputs (fertilizers, seeds, etc.) on the continent which amount to 1.7 million tons (compared to 600,000 tons in 2015).

Among its flagship projects are the creation of agro-industrial processing zones, particularly in Togo and Ethiopia; it plans to develop this concept in a total of 15 countries. The AfDB has also supported the Côte d'Ivoire/Ghana alliance so that they have a greater influence on the cocoa market (Read: How will the $600 million cocoa loan in Ghana be used?).

The consideration of agricultural issues is undeniable, but according to the media The Africa Report, progress remains to be made in two areas in particular: access for women to agricultural technologies and the development of water management systems. .

Agriculture in Africa is a field undergoing many technological changes through the use of drones, tractors, applications on mobile phones, etc. Farmers' access to these new techniques is in progress and represents a considerable challenge, in particular to interest young people who do not perceive the considerable potential of African agriculture, who are moving away from the land and who dream of rural exodus. .

Many challenges await Dr. Adesina's second term, including the management of the global Covid-19 pandemic which has heavily impacted agriculture and food, the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (ZLECA), the creation of new African currencies, increasing food insecurity and of course climate change. So many themes among which the presence and participation of the AfDB is expected.