A former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Akinwumi Adesina has formally received the 2017 World Food Prize (WFP) Laureate award in the U.S.
Adesina was conferred with the laureate in Des Moines, U.S. during which he committed the $250,000 cash prize to set up a fund for financing African youth in agriculture.
He commended his staff for the shared passion to feed Africa.
The former minister expressed gratitude to former President Olusegun Obasanjo for nominating him as a minister.
Adesina also thanked former President Goodluck Jonathan for giving him the opportunity of his life to serve his country, Nigeria, as a minister.
He also thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his strong support to achieve the feat.
Reference:
- Adesina had been announced as the winner of the global feat by the WFP for his dogged determination and practical commitment to boosting agriculture and food supply chain both as Minister of Agriculture and President of African Development Bank (AfDB).
“There wouldn’t be any rest for me until Africa feeds itself and for that, we need the youth.
“And so even though I don’t have the cash in my hand, I hereby commit my 250,000 dollars as a cash prize for the WFP award to set up a fund fully dedicated to providing financing for the youth of Africa in agriculture to feed Africa.
“A day is coming very soon when the barns of Africa will be filled and all her children will be well fed when millions of farmers will be able to send their kids to school.
“Then you will hear a new song across Africa; thank God our lives are better for us,’’Adesina said.
One other thing:
- The Governor of Iowa, Kim Reynolds, who officially declared Adesina as the 2017 laureate winner of the WFP, said he was a man who grew out of poverty to create wealth.
- Reynolds said that the laureate commitment and dedication in agriculture had impacted on lives of many, not only in Africa but around the world.
Omoleye Omoruyi… an apprentice web/game developer, novelist, sensitive to happenings in the world. Meet him @Lord_rickie on Twitter/Instagram
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