Regional Paper - Africa

Africa's quest for productive, wealth-creating, income-generating and sustainable agriculture

Specific features

Africa still has a significant amount of land that it can use and a variety of natural resources, but does not produce enough to meet its food requirements. 20 billion worth of food imports per year. African agriculture is based on two production systems:

1. Family farms account for more than 85% of agricultural production. Most of them are medium-sized. They are multifunctional and produce for their own family consumption, local markets and export markets (cotton, peanuts, bananas, palm oil, etc.). The millions of farmers in Africa, most of them illiterate, are spread out across the continent and poorly organised. Producing food in difficult conditions, these farmers are responsible for the lot of so many affected by poverty and food insecurity (40%). Structural adjustment between 1980 and 1985 made life more complicated for rural communities by forcing privatisation and liberalisation of the economy on governments through the dismantling of development companies! This situation developed against a background of drought and economic crisis (1973-1984,…). Rural areas suffered from a lack of public investment and of consideration for the living patterns of populations in the programmes designed to assist them. Young people left the land to swell the populations of towns and cross the seas. They became providers of assistance to farmers, their parents.
2. Farms producing goods for the export market (coffee, cocoa, bananas, pineapples and maize) occupy fairly extensive areas in only a few countries (Kenya, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Tanzania and a number of countries in Central Africa). They are mechanised and use a poorly paid labour force.

Significant changes over the past ten years

Farmers have set up and structured groups at various levels, from village to national and subregional level. African states have reinvigorated subregional organisations with a view to promoting further integration. Agriculture is a priority again in development policies and programmes. The AUO has become the AU and has been active in defining and implementing NEPAD, of which agriculture is a priority. The WTO and EPA negotiations have provided farmers with an opportunity to make representations and consolidate their structures. Climate change has become more visible, in addition to soaring prices and food crises. Networks of farmers' organisations have joined forces with social movements to fight for food sovereignty, respect for lifestyles, supply management and market regulation.

What we need to do

Hold elected representatives at all levels to account. Develop consensual agricultural and agrifoods policies that will promote our crops and develop culinary values. Develop protected subregional markets. Invest in agriculture, stockfarming, fisheries and forestry. Take on board sustainable management of natural resources. Join forces with social movements which share our values. Be more self-critical and prepare our own development strategies.