Africa’s food future lies in small farms’ investment - Business Watch | IOL Business | IOL.co.za. In an Africa where 20 nations are classified as fragile and 28 countries require food assistance, the need for a rural transformation backed by investment and not just words is critical. Kanayo Nwanze, the president of the UN’s rural development agency, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (Ifad), said investments must be focused on smallholder family farms.
“Small farms make up 80 percent of all farms in sub-Saharan Africa. And contrary to conventional wisdom, small farms are often more productive than large farms,” he said. “For example, China’s 200 million small farms cover only 10 percent of the world’s agricultural land but produce 20 percent of the world’s food.” African farming, however, is performing at only about 40 percent of its potential. In just a few days in Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea, at the 23rd African Union Summit, Ifad will join African leaders to discuss this year’s focus, which is on agriculture and food security. Platinum mining. Africa agriculture transformation will be people driven — AU. By Jimoh Babatunde African Union Commission Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture, Commissioner, Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, has disclosed that the AU is determined to ensure that agricultural transformation is driven by its citizens. She added that the continental body’s aspirations is to have a food and nutrition secure and poverty free citizenry that is prosperous.
Tumusiime Rhoda Peace made this known while addressing journalists ahead of the 23rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea with the theme, “transforming Africa’s agriculture for shared prosperity and improved livelihoods, through harnessing opportunities for inclusive growth and sustainable development.” Africa's future is 'upstream' and 'post-farm' African agriculture is the next frontier for local and global agricultural services and input companies. Here, we are told, the "underutilised" land and water resources are enormous, and agricultural productivity so low that it translates into massive potential for new markets and scope for profit.
I attended IFAMA's (International Food and Agribusiness Management Association) "Agribusiness & Food World Forum" on 17-19 June 2014 in Cape Town, held for the first time in Africa. The forum programme states that Africa's agriculture and agribusiness future has "soared to the top of the world's most elite economic growth and development agendas" and that this "heightened attention" on agriculture and agribusiness in Africa is based on the fact that her enormous growth potential, "now tangibly in sight, hinges on expanding the capacity of these industries".
David vs. Goliath In the light of such heavy expectations of agriculture, who should be the agricultural producers? Strive Masiyiwa calls for agricultural policies and investments to sustain the continent's economic growth. Exit from comment view mode. Click to hide this space HARARE – Launching a business can be hard work, especially in Africa, where weak governance systems and inconsistent access to critical resources impede success. For Africa’s farmers, the challenges are particularly pronounced. Given the vast economic and social benefits of a dynamic and modern agricultural sector, providing farmers with the incentives, investments, and regulations that they need to succeed should become a top priority.
The recent boom in Africa’s telecommunications sector – which has revolutionized entire industries, not to mention people’s lifestyles – demonstrates just how effective such an approach can be. There are more than a half-billion mobile connections on the continent today; indeed, in many respects, Africa leads the world in mobile growth and innovation. Why has Africa been unable to replicate that growth in the agriculture sector? This is particularly true for smallholder farmers, most of whom are women. Africa’s Farms of the Future. African agriculture is a sleeping giant: the odds are against Africa's farmers, but the potential for economic growth is huge. It's time to wake up the giant with action on policy, investment and technology, writes Strive Masiyiwa. Strive Masiyiwa is a member of the Africa Progress Panel, founder and chairman of Econet Wireless, co-chair of GROW Africa, and chairman of the Board of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa.
Launching a business can be hard work, especially in Africa, where weak governance systems and inconsistent access to critical resources impede success. For Africa’s farmers, the challenges are particularly pronounced. Given the vast economic and social benefits of a dynamic and modern agricultural sector, providing farmers with the incentives, investments, and regulations that they need to succeed should become a top priority. Why has Africa been unable to replicate that growth in the agriculture sector? But these gains remain fragile. . © Project Syndicate, 2014. Catalyzing a New Generation of ‘Agri-preneurs’ in Africa | Private Sector Development. Trying out new foods is one of life’s simple pleasures. Cuisine immerses you in a culture, exposes you to new tastes and excites the imagination.
The challenge is, the more we succeed, the less time we can afford to cook and experiment in our home kitchens. So as Africa’s emerging markets grow, domestic demand for ready-to-consume food products is quickly on the rise, thanks to rapid urbanization and an expanding middle class. As over-sized supermarkets pop up across the continent, however, their shelves are mostly being filled by imported processed foods. This is a huge opportunity that only requires a small change in thinking. If most agriculture initiatives usually start with the farmers and move up the value chain, then agro-processing solutions must start in the marketplace, identify opportunities, and develop businesses that leverage local agricultural resources. Each AIC client receives services tailored to its needs.