By CHARITY MOONGA –

in Johannesburg, South Africa
THE World Bank has urged African countries to diversify into agriculture to help address the continent’s myriad of economic challenges.
World Bank head of communications, agriculture global practice, Sarwat Hussain said agriculture would continue to play a key role in fighting poverty in Africa.
He said agriculture was key to unemployment, nutrition and food security.
Mr Sarwat said this when he addressed business journalists attending a training programme dubbed “Developing Financial and Business Skills,” at Birchwood Hotel here.
The training has been sponsored by the Africa Media Initiative, (AMI).
He said world food demand was likely to rise by 20 per cent by the year 2030 and hence the need for countries to uplift the agricultural sector.
“As the World Bank has established, of the global food demand, 60 per cent will happen in Sub Sahara Africa so agriculture is key to ensure food security,” he said.
Mr Sarwat said that agriculture also contributes 25 per cent of green house energy emissions and therefore the importance to manage the sector well.
And business journalists in Africa should enhance business reporting to fight poverty in the continent, AMI president Eric Chinje has said.
He said business journalists should highlight issues of youth unemployment, job creation, living standards, the private sector and proper management of financial hubs, among others.
“Financial news in Africa should move up,” Mr Chinje said.
He was speaking when he officially opened the training here.
He said business finance and economic reporting is key to assisting fight poverty by highlighting economic issues.
“The need for financial business journalism is important and must be upheld. The media’s strength is in its ability to strengthen the economic and social focus,” he said.
Mr Chinje is also a former World Bank official who at some point undertook missions in Zambia and called on Zambia to diversify from copper.
“Zambia still has pillars on which it can build its economy. Examples are tourism and manufacturing. The Zambian media should have spoken loud enough on the importance of diversification ,” he said.
The agenda 2063 should drive the agenda for Africa and that,  the media should get active about it.