Top musicians stand up for food security

A group of African musicians is on a mission to rally the continent’s youth behind agriculture and the fight against hunger.

The top musicians from DR Congo, Nigeria, Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire and South Africa have teamed up to release a song in support of the growing and processing of cocoa, a major foreign exchange earner for countries in West Africa, especially Cote d’Ivoire. This explains the choice of the title of the song, Cocoa na Chocolate.

The artistes, among them Congolese crooner Fally Ipupa, are keen to inspire especially their young fans to revitalise agriculture. Agriculture is a source of direct income for over 80 per cent of Africans.

The project involved 20 recording artists from 11 countries. 

To drive the message to the grassroots, the song has been translated and sang in 10 languages.

Under the theme ‘Do Agric, It Pays!’ the project aims to encourage African leaders to support agriculture ahead of the African Union Heads of State meeting in June.

Participating in the recording are Cote d’Ivoire’s Tiken Jah Fakoly, D’Banj and Femi Kuti from Nigeria, Congo’s Ipupa, Kenya’s gospel star Juliani and South Africa’s Judith Sephuma.

There is more representation from East Africa, with the involvement Tanzania’s Diamond of Mbagala and Nataka Kulewa fame and AY. Also in the song are Zimbabwe’s Bufallo Souljah, Dama Do Bling from Mozambique and Dontom from Nigeria.

The Nigerian complement on the project also includes Kunle Ayo. Others are Vusi Nova of South Africa, Liz Ogumbo of Kenya, Nancy G (Swaziland), Omawumi (Nigeria), Rachid Taha (Algeria), Victoria Kimani (Kenya) and Wax Dey (Cameroon).

The song has been recorded in English, Arabic, Lingala, French, Swahili, Shona Pidgin, Portuguese, and Xhosa.

Cocoa na Chocolate was co-produced by Cobhams Asuquo and DeeVee of DB Records while the producer is Godfather Productions.  The song was launched yesterday on Trace, MTV, Channel O, Soundcity and Canal France International television stations. The song and music video were recorded in Johannesburg.

“These brilliant artists are role models who connect with African youths. Their voice, in support of agriculture, is sending a powerful message to the young generation. It’s time for African leaders to increase public investments in agriculture to benefit smallholder farmers who provide 80 per cent of the food we eat in the continent,” said Dr Sipho Moyo of ONE.org Africa, an institution taking part.

According to the UN-FAO, agricultural growth is 11 times more effective in reducing poverty than growth in other sectors like mining and utilities. ‘Do Agric’ is a continent-wide push to appeal to African governments to commit to spending at least 10 per cent of national budgets on agriculture — a commitment they originally made in Maputo in 2003.

Say the producers: “We are indeed proud and greatly privileged to be partnering with such an inspiring group of individuals to spread the message that not only can Africa feed itself, but it can also help to feed the world.”

The song was written by the participating artistes and D’Banj, whose company, DKM Media, partnered with ONE Campaign, an advocacy against hunger. 

While Africa produces tonnes of cocoa, which it exports for processing at prices far insignificant relative to the price of the finished product, the continent imports chocolate at exorbitant prices. 

During Tanzania’s founding president Julius Nyerere’s rule in the 1970s, musicians played a significant role in popularising agriculture, with compositions by leading bands, such as Kilimo cha Kufa na Kupona.