The Paradox Of Agriculture In Africa

Policy disconnect in Africa is an ailing syndrome that strangles from within. While the continent is a home to brilliant minds in various fields their policy documents continue to gather dust across the countries in the continent. Various sectors become victims of poor or non-implementation of policy recommendations despite being backed by empirical evidences. A top-bottom methodology in policy designing has been the chronic approach in many parts of Africa. While Africa is the home to most robust and renowned agricultural research institutions agriculture still remains on its death bed. Malnutrition and food insecurity has been turned to a norm in Africa where food aids has become a policy in itself. Africa however is 80% rural and to achieve economic takeoff a multi-sector approach should be emphasized. While industrialization is the solution to high unemployment in Africa this must begin with value addition of agricultural commodities. With emergence of agro processing firms agro based industries will emerge based on comparative advantage across the continent. Transport network should be emphasized to link various markets across the continent. The multiplier effect of this is a pull factor towards a sustainable agriculture where food security will be guaranteed. Unemployment will be resolved while sustaining economic growth of individual countries in the continent. Policy disconnects the victim mentality and obsession for the western development formulae is what Africa is ailing from. It’s imperative therefore that Africa designs its own economic development formulae based on the continents comparative advantage. Copy pasting has proven futile due to a differential in moral and ideological discrepancies among continents.