CHONGWE, Zambia (AP) — U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen traveled from a small farm on a rural red clay road to a ramen noodle manufacturing plant in Zambia’s bustling capitol of Lusaka on Tuesday to showcase Africa’s potential to help solve the world’s problems with food shortages.

Yellen, midway through a 10-day tour of Africa, devoted her day to highlighting the agricultural investment potential of underdeveloped African nations, especially as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has exacerbated worldwide hunger and the cost of food.

“As we tackle acute needs now, we must also take a longer view and scale up investment in long-term food system resilience. Africa is a perfect example of these dual challenges,” Yellen said in Chongwe, a village an hour outside of Lusaka. She stood at her signature podium, surrounded by lush green fields of corn and with chickens grazing nearby.

“As we tackle acute needs now, we must also take a longer view and scale up investment in long-term food system resilience. Africa is a perfect example of these dual challenges,” Yellen said in Chongwe, a village an hour outside of Lusaka. She stood at her signature podium, surrounded by lush green fields of corn and with chickens grazing nearby.

The continent’s potential is evident in one statistic: Africa has 60 percent of the world’s uncultivated arable land.

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