Africa looks to become self sufficient in food by 2015

New Delhi, March 15 : African countries are seeking to become self sufficient in foodgrain production by 2015 and are looking at better farming techniques to reduce dependence on rains, according to delegates at a business and networking summit here.

"We know food is very important. In next five years, Africa should be able to feed itself," Malawi's Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Food Security Margaret Mauwa said.

"But issues like climate change, wrong use of inputs, fertilisers are posing challenges to food security. Africa is fighting to ensure enough food in the midst of these problems," she added.

Malawi holds the chair of the 53-nation African Union, most of whose economies are agro-based.

However, only six percent of the total cultivable land is being used by countries because of poor irrigation facilities.

Most of the farming in Africa is still rain dependent. Even though some nations saw a bumper production, their fortunes could oscillate between the good and the bad because of this dependence on rain.

"Malawi was able to sustain itself this year with the level of production even leaving us with a surplus of 1.3 million tones over the 2008-09 crop season. But I have to admit our farming is still rain-fed," Mauwa said.

Over 350 business delegates from the continent are here at the sixth edition of the India-Africa Project Partnership summit, jointly by the Export-Import Bank of India, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Commerce and External Affairs ministries.