The Pan-African Farmers Organisation (PAFO) has appointed former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, as its Honorary President in recognition of his longstanding dedication to supporting smallholder and family farmers across Africa.
The appointment was announced during a ceremony in Abuja, attended by PAFO President Ibrahim Coulibaly, Vice President Dr. Yusuf Sinare, and CEO Dr. Babafemi Oyewole. In his acceptance speech, Obasanjo highlighted the vital role of smallholder farmers in global food security, stating, “Smallholder farmers are the backbone of global food production. The bulk of the food we eat is produced by them.” He expressed his commitment to advancing PAFO’s mission.
PAFO President Ibrahim Coulibaly praised Obasanjo’s leadership, noting that it would strengthen PAFO’s efforts to improve African farmers’ livelihoods and enhance food security across the continent. CEO Dr. Babafemi Oyewole also emphasized PAFO’s unique position as the only continental platform representing over 80 million African smallholder farmers through 79 national organizations and five regional networks.
Founded in 2010 with support from the African Union and AUDA-NEPAD, PAFO remains committed to addressing key challenges in African agriculture, including access to land, finance, trade, public investments, and climate change.
