The meeting was attended by sub- Saharan African agronomists, wheat breeders, researchers, agriculture economists and wheat farmers from Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Lesotho, Kenya, Zambia and Nigeria.
Speaking at the meeting, the Secretary of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, Ringson Chitsiko, said Africa should prioritise wheat as a strategic crop in order reduce the import bill.
He added: “We should have passion. If we feel passionate about domesticating wheat on the continent, we can reduce the import bill from $15 billion and use the money for infrastructural development. Wheat production is a sense of urgency we need to feel and do now rather than later days or years.”
SARD-SC promotes production of food crops such as wheat, maize, cassava and rice with funding from the African Development Bank (AfDB).
