Agriculture Organisation Honours Former President Olusegun Obasanjo
By Ene Okwanihe, Abuja
The Panafrican Farmers Organisation (PAFO) has officially named former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, its Honorary President.
The award presentation took place in a brief ceremony on Monday in Abuja, Nigeria’s Capital city.
Speaking after receiving the award, Former President Obasanjo expressed gratitude and reaffirmed his dedication to supporting agricultural development across Africa.
“Smallholder farmers are the backbone of global food production. The bulk of the food we eat is produced by them. As a farmer myself, I have always supported the cause of other farmers, and I am deeply honored to accept this position. I will use it to help PAFO achieve its vision and mission,” .
On his part, the CEO Dr. Babafemi Oyewole said PAFO remains the only continent-wide platform uniting African farmers under a common goal of sustainable agricultural development.
Meanwhile, the award committee said Obasanjo’s nomination was a product of extensive consultations by the Board of Directors.
The Board acknowledged his lifelong commitment to championing the interests of smallholder and family farmers in Nigeria and across Africa.
‘His leadership is expected to advance PAFO’s objectives of improving the livelihood of African farmers, advocating for agricultural development, and ensuring food security on the continent.’
PAFO’s Board expressed confidence that Obasanjo’s experience, influence, and networks will be instrumental in pushing forward its vision of a dynamic, prosperous, and sustainable African agriculture sector.
The ceremony had in attendance, the President of PAFO, Ibrahim Coulibaly, Vice President Dr. Yusuf Sinare and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Babafemi Oyewole.
Founded in 2010 under the sponsorship of the African Union and AUDA-NEPAD, PAFO represents over 80 million African smallholder and family farmers.
Through its five regional networks, PAFO integrates 79 national farmer organizations, focusing on critical issues such as access to land, financing, trade, public investments in family farming, and climate change.
Comments are closed.