The Current State Of Agriculture In Africa
The most important sector in the African Economy is Agriculture. It contributes about 15 percent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of sub-Saharan countries and employs more than 60 percent of the continent’s labour force.
Africa is home to 60 percent of the worlds arable land and Agriculture accounts for 75 percent of Africa’s domestic trade. Despite the massive social and economic footprint of Agriculture in the region, Africa‘s full agricultural potential still remains untapped. In a recent analysis conducted by McKinsey, it was determined that Africa could produce two to three times more cereals and grains, which would add 20 percent more cereals and grains to the current
worldwide 2.6 billion tons of output. Similar increases could also be seen in the production of horticulture crops and livestock. This is clearly illustrated in the
image below:
Africa is agro-ecologically and climatically diverse, with agro-environmental zones ranging from the tropical rainforests in West and Central Africa, to the dry and arid zones of the Sahel. This diversity offers both opportunities and challenges: while a wide variety of crops and commodities can be produced across Africa, a range of unified solutions are required in order to overcome the varying bottlenecks that continue to limit the agricultural potential of the different countries and regions on the continent.
The cost of failing to adopt a joint approach to Agriculture will further widen the untapped growth potential of Agriculture in Africa, leading to increased inequality between African countries with some having more tools and agricultural skills than others, thus high poverty rates and an increased dependency on imports.
One African Market through the AfCFTA can create a more
competitive commercial environment for agriculture, encourage more investment in a modern, dynamic, productive, inclusive, and sustainable agricultural sector that can lift millions of Africans out of poverty.
Africa was a net exporter of food products up until the 1980s. High
economic growth from the early 2000s and rapid increases in
population drove up domestic demand for food. All the while falling raw commodity prices along with weak infrastructure and low levels of investment in agricultural development contributed to reduced agricultural exports. As of 2019, the continent‟s agricultural trade balance was – $18.4bn, with an annual food import bill of roughly $68.5bn between 2014 and 2019.
In a recent speech delivered by Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina President, African Development Bank Group at the 94th annual US Department of Agriculture Outlook Forum – “The Roots of Prosperity”, He stated that: “…agriculture has the potential to completely transform Africa
and feed the world. But as my mentor Norman Borlaug always
said: “you can’t eat potential”. You can only leverage, transform
and use it.”
Even as we go forward and create opportunities to harness the
potential of the Agricultural sector in the continent, it is also a
requirement to build an enabling environment for the global growth of the African agricultural sector. This is to ensure that Africa lives up to the expectation of being able to not just feed itself, but also feed the world. This therefore brings us to the goal of the conference which is to leverage not only continental growth and competitiveness but global growth and competitiveness.
The conference is our opportunity to start a global conversation about the
Agricultural sector in Africa, based on the following scope:
• Leveraging our regional experiences and expertise with a view to developing singular framework upon which we can solve our Agricultural challenges in Africa with a country tailored approach.
• Challenges plaguing agriculture in Africa, which are hampering our ability to feed the continent and the world with a view to solving them. As well as recommendations to exploit the full potential of the agri-food value chain to feed the continent and the world.
• We aim to position Africa as a global food destination and the greatest exporter of food and its by-products.
This two-day hybrid conference from the 20th to the 21st of September 2023 will include 5,000 attendees, 30 high profile speakers, news and media coverage globally of up to 1,000,000 people with excellent virtual execution guaranteed. At the end of this summit, we will publish a white paper interpreted in all African Languages that will be submitted to the African Union headquarters, Heads of State and Presidents, which will eventually be passed as a bill for onward implementation in their respective countries. We will also
introduce and attach Youth Ambassadors that will help with implementation of
the white paper for the Africa we want.
Striking The Bull’s Eye
Strategic Objective of the Conference
To design a singular agricultural framework that cuts off agricultural imports and increase exports in 30 years.
➢ To discuss the way forward for the rapid digitisation of the Agricultural sector.
➢ Rapid mechanisation of the Agricultural sector in Africa.
➢ Driving aggressive industrial food processing in the continent.
2023 Mission
Values are our bedrock
OUR FOCUS IS SUSTAINABLE CHANGE AND IMPACT, NOT ONE TIME SUCCESSES.
Mission
To create a sustainable agricultural framework for the Africa we want by leveraging skills, technology and collaborations.
Vision
To be the leading strategic and implementation partner with the different stakeholders in Africa both private, public and government to deliver the Africa we want by 2063.
Organizing Teams
• Organizing Vice- Chair: Edith Njage
https://www.linkedin.com/in/edith-wangare-njage/
• Head of Communication & Public Relations: Renee
Boateng
• Chief of Finance & Partnership: Adaobi Ossai
www.linkedin.com/in/adaobi-whitney-ossai-7059aa71
• Chief of Implementation: Feruz Semere
https://www.linkedin.com/in/feruz-semere/
• Chief Ambassador: Meha Jouini
https://www.facebook.com/ecarthage1
Partnership Opportunities
Endorsement
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Partnership
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Publicity
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2023 Speakers
Our Approach to
WHOLISTIC GROWTH
Our Methodology
The conference will follow the format of a round table
engagement forum where experts from Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western, Central Africa and the Diaspora share various Agricultural challenges and solutions.
At the end of the forum, the African Government
STAKEHOLDERS Engagement Forum (AGSEF) team will be tasked with the compilation of a white paper for the
presentation of real time solutions identified by industry experts for African governments and necessary stakeholders to help us achieve exponential results in Agriculture across the different areas of growth identified.
Beyond the Conference
OUTCOMES OF THE SUMMIT
The following outcomes would be delivered following the
conference to all attending nations for execution;
1) A country specific approach to solving the identified
Agricultural challenges.
2) A regional approach to solving Agricultural challenges
identified.
3) Stakeholder engagement strategies with farmers on the
solutions identified to guide implementation.
4) Government stakeholders engagement solutions to ensure
implementation across associations, public and private sectors.
5) Bi-annual monitoring systems to ensure success and provide for adjustment based on results.
6) Presentation of the white paper to select government bodies and NGO’s across Sub-Saharan Africa.