President William Ruto has urged Africans to take farming seriously, stating that the next billionaires will be farmers. He spoke at the Mashariki Cooperation Conference in Diani, Kwale County, on Friday night. He cited Africa's growing population and vast market potential.
President William Ruto spoke at the Mashariki Cooperation Conference in Diani, Kwale County, on Friday night. He challenged Africans and Kenyans to embrace farming seriously, asserting that the next billionaires on the continent will emerge from this sector.
"I was told by the former president of the African Development Bank that the future billionaires will be farmers. That is why I'm trying farming myself," Ruto said.
He highlighted Africa's population surpassing 1.58 billion in 2026, projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, or a quarter of the world's people. This growth poses challenges in feeding the population and employing youth, with Africa's unemployment at 7.9% and one-third of its 420 million youth aged 15-35 unemployed or discouraged.
"We have resources, and we have assets. We have two-thirds of the world's remaining arable land," Ruto noted. The African Continental Free Trade Area will create the world's largest single market, he added. Kenya currently has no verified dollar billionaires.
