Agriculture in Africa is so broad a topic and one very close to my heart. Having grown up in small scale farming community, and having seen both the economic potential in agriculture and its flipside, it is my considered opinion that the worst catastrophe facing farmers in Africa, especially the small scaled ones is more than anything else a mindset-we simply don’t look at agriculture from an economic point of view; but rather its just a way of life for most of us.
This attitude must first be dealt with and changed.
Compared to the rest of the world, most African countries experience very low agricultural yields. The effects of these low yields range from low economic development, poverty, high levels of infant mortality, low education & other social vices.
We all have heard or even know that Agriculture, which has always been tagged as the basis of Africa’s survival, is rather fast becoming the bedrock of poverty in the continent.
A major irony is the large presence of both local & International NGOs in most parts ofAfrica, who unfortunately seem to perpetuate the low yields/low returns policies in these communities-probably this justifies their existence too. Similarly, African Governments have not done much either. In fact most of their policies have always been in favor of the politically connected elites rather than the poor rural producers. This equation also needs to change so that governments can play their rightful role of creating the right environment and motivation for the small scale farmers.
So what is the way forward, and is there hope for those seeking to practice agriculture and make it commercially viable even on small scale in Africa? My bet is that Yes, there are enormous opportunities in this sector. Stay with me!
First, the approach that lays too much emphasis on grass root production, thereby enforcing the presence of abject poverty in the continent is totally misplaced.
Today’s Agricultural practice must be within the realm of the application of modern methods. In fact, having many living below the poverty line increases the burden on respective African governments. Taxes received from farmers are too small and hence can not aid majority of government programs. In order to achieve a new prosperous Africa, the bar must be raised up and high.
A starting point towards making agriculture more profitable would be reducing the number of hands employed in farm labor drastically. A good point to note, countries such as Ethiopia, Nigeria and Burundi have 70%, 70% and 93.6% respectively of their total population involved in active farming struggling to meet up to the basic minimum living standards, unlike first world countries such as Canada, UK and South Africa with less than 20% of the total population involved in active farming. There is thus a correlation between the percentage population of a nation actively involved in agriculture and the poverty level of that country. Hence Ethiopia, Nigeria and Burundi have roughly 70% of their population living below the poverty line as compared to The Netherlands which has 2% actively involved in agriculture and 10.5% of the population living below the poverty line.
I am talking about mechanizing Agriculture. It thus implies that for one to maintain a farm and live within the comfort zone, we must reduce the labor force of our farming units while ensuring production at the same (if not higher) level.
The bulk of the agricultural driving force in any nation is the middle class. In Africa today, the middle class is gradually being eroded and hence food production is gradually becoming short. The middle class can be resuscitated though through government sponsored programs targeted at reactivating the middle class.
Reducing the excess hands involved in farming would leave a vast number of hands unemployed. Obviously, it is assumed that as production increases on the farms, there will be a parallel increase in manufacturing, processing and service industries to absorb both the produce and the workforce displaced from these farms. This is where government and other organizations’ should get involved in. Hands relieved from the farms should be channeled into processing and services. Farm produce can be processed to its final form prior to export (Value addition). Such industries hire more labor hands than grass root farming outfits and also ensure workers meet up to the basic minimum wage.
We are currently in a fast paced, competitive and capitalistic world. Bigger nations are out to grab what they can get while at the same time ensuring that weaker nations continue to struggle in abject poverty in order to furnish the lavish lives of their populace. It is thus obvious that Africa must look from within and come out with her own strategy to improve her pathetic state. Relying on the western countries means condemning one’s future to everlasting poverty. An good example is the billions of dollars promised to Africa by the UK in 2008 was just to ensure that African farmers have seeds and fertilizers to sustain an uninterrupted supply of raw materials to their ex-colonial masters.
African leaders need to rise up and work for their lot with for heroic deeds. African governments must invest in highly mechanized agriculture as well as boost their processing industries and other industries in order to make the highest profit from their produce. This is the only way African nations rise from the pathogenic nature of poverty in Africa.
I will be sharing various opportunities in Agriculture for our continent. Keep reading my future posts.
