Africa is a continent of agriculture but remains the least region in food production.
This state of affairs has been quite disturbing considering that the agric sector is highly essential for the growth of the continent and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal. Agriculture in sub-Sahara in particular employs about 65 per cent of the labour force and accounts for 32 per cent of Gross Domestic Product, according to the World Bank.
Statistics indicate that the continent’s population will soon hit one billion and could reach two billion by 2050. At this time, it will represent more than 20 per cent of the world’s population. Against this backdrop, a 70 per cent increase in global food production will be needed to contain its food demand.
The choice of Agriculture and food security as main theme of the 23rd Ordinary Session of the African Union is certainly not by chance. In effect, the AU is on its first decade of Agenda 2063 where agriculture is considered the most important factor in its achievement. The potentials remain promising but potentials alone do not bring development.
The proof is that the continent’s food productivity remains excessively low in spite of its 31 million hectares or about 20 per cent of the World’s land on which maize is currently being planted. Average maize yields in Africa are below two tons per hectare, significantly below the United States with about 10 tons a hectare.
The trouble with Agriculture in Africa is that it has so far remained rudimentary. Traditional practices have not been abandoned. The greater part of the population involved in the activity is the peasant population that lack the technical and financial means. Research results remain unexploited or are exploited by a few while mechanisation is still farfetched. The youths who form the greater majority of the population are less interested in tilling the soil.
As a result of low production, the continent spends huge resources on imported food. Statistics indicate that 35 million dollars are spent every year on imported food. This situation is keeping no one indifferent. This explains why at the Malabo summit, there was a unanimous call to build up a strategy in order to fully transform the sector.
Concretely, what needs to be done to come out of the doldrums is the question on every lip. According to Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, agriculture must be made attractive to the continent’s youth, especially through specialized training and agro-processing. Specialists in the sector believe that African leaders need to initiate bold reforms, invest in the sector, improve facilities, use agriculture as a business and process food.
That notwithstanding, there are proposals to the fact that subsistence agriculture be transformed into commercial agriculture, actions focused on livestock production and the sector made part of the continent’s integration process.
In effect, there seem to be a whole package of proposals as to how to get out of the situation but these seem to remain at individual levels. Maybe, the best solution is to make agriculture an African project and tackle it from that perspective. The reason is that not all areas in the region are fertile, have water or are imbued with favourable climate.
That said, this could produce palpable results only if the continent cultivates peace and stability so that its people are free from threat from armed gangs, terrorists and other ills.
