120 million dollars has been approved by the World Bank for agricultural production in Ghana and Senegal. The fund is to help promote the use of organic technologies to cope with the increasing demand for food in West Africa.

In a statement issued in Accra, the Director for Sustainable Development, Jamal Saghir, said that the programme will increase economic growth, improve food security and reduce poverty. West Africa’s population is set to grow from 300 million in 2011 to around 500 million in 2030.

Mr Saghir also mentioned that the recent food, fuel and financial crisis had demonstrated the need for West Africa to utilize the region’s agricultural potential.

Story by Claudia Andrews