Table Of ContentAFRICA AGRICULTURE
STATUS REPORT
F O C U S O N S T A P L E C R O P S
2013
3
Design and layout: blossoming.it
4
table of contents
Foreword 6
Acknowledgements 7
Preface 8
Acronyms 9
Chapter 01:
12
Introduction
Chapter 02:
18
Agricultural Productivity, Growth, and Competitiveness
Chapter 03:
30
Securing Land for Agricultural Production
Chapter 04:
42
Improving Soil Health in Africa: Challenges and Promising Solutions
Chapter 05:
52
Status of Seed Systems Development in Sub-Saharan Africa
Chapter 06:
70
Financing African Agriculture: An Imperative for Inclusive Innovative Financing
Chapter 07:
84
Transforming African Agriculture by Improving Output Markets
Chapter 08:
94
Enabling Policy Environment
Chapter 09:
112
Farmers’ Organizations as Key Actors in Agricultural Development
Chapter 10:
120
Capacity Development in Agriculture in Africa
Chapter 11:
138
The Role of Women In Africa’s Smallholder Agriculture: Status, Trends, and Opportunities
Chapter 12:
150
Extension and Advisory Services for Facilitating Sharing of Agricultural Innovations
Chapter 13:
162
Conclusion
Section II:
166
Status of Agricultural Statistics
Technical Notes
Agriculture data for the selected 16 countries 174
5
Foreword
The world faces a major agricultural challenge. We must, the potential to achieve rapid growth and development
over the next few decades, find ways to deliver nutritious, on the continent. The report adopts a new thinking in
safe, and affordable food to a growing global population agriculture, one that reflects a value chain approach. The
that is projected to reach 9 billion people by 2050. Stress on authors cover such issues as input availability and access,
our land and water, increase in soil degradation, salinization the need for an enabling policy environment, and access
of irrigated areas, migration of youth to urban areas, climate to output markets. The report also pays special attention to
changes, are among the many risks that are negatively the crosscutting issues of gender equity, strengthening of
affecting the agricultural production potential in many farmer organizations and collective action, and the need
countries around the world. The need for a comprehensive to improve access to high quality extension and advisory
solution to global food and nutritional security is urgent. services.
Our progress in ensuring a sustainable and equitable food Encouragingly, African countries are giving greater priority
supply chain will be determined by how coherently the to agricultural development. The African Union (AU),
persistent challenges are tackled. This will also determine through its New Partnership for Africa’s Development
our progress in reducing global poverty and achieving (NEPAD), is providing leadership and support via
a uniquely African Green Revolution. Fortunately, Africa NEPAD’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development
is endowed with abundant natural resources, including Programme (CAADP). Through this program AU is
about 60% of the world’s arable land, some of it still encouraging countries to develop investment plans and
virgin land. These resources, if effectively and efficiently to allocate at least 10% of their annual national budgets to
harnessed, could reduce the threat of food insecurity. agriculture. Clearly, recent sharp increases in international
Increased agricultural productivity, combined with viable food prices are contributing to increased food import
agribusiness that adds value to farmers’ production and bills in the short run. However, improved performance in
improved access to markets, can drive broader economic Africa’s agriculture sector through increased public and
growth across the continent and vastly improve food private investment and targeted interventions can help
security. offset those short-term effects and, over the longer term.
Achieving the African Agenda of attaining an average of 6%
In recent years, a renewed focus on agriculture has been growth rate in agriculture will not only support sustained
evident in policy and development agendas across the overall economic growth, but will also open up major
African continent. Yet, little knowledge has been generated opportunities for African farmers in domestic, regional and
on the inter-linkages of research and development, international markets. We need to enhance our collective
agricultural production, and markets, as well as the efforts to achieve both food and nutritional security in
potential for developing them. This report outlines the Africa and we urge all the stakeholders in agriculture to
status of agriculture in 16 African countries, paying sustain the momentum through collaboration to push
attention to agricultural land and labour productivity and forward the African agriculture agenda.
Kofi A. Annan
Board Chairman
6
Acknowledgements
The African Agriculture Status Report 2013, focusing on staple crops, received support and guidance from many contributors whom I
acknowledge here. David Sarfo Ameyaw provided the overall leadership for the development and production of the Report. A Steering
Committee comprising Aboubacar Diaby, Joseph DeVries, Augustine Langyintuo (now with IFC), Sylvia Mwichuli, Fadel Ndiame,
Jane Njuguna and Marie Rarieya, coordinated the overall framework and structure of the report. The project coordinators were Jane
Njuguna, Aboubacar Diaby, and Susan Ndung’u. Special thanks are extended to AGRA staff in the Monitoring and Evaluation, and
Communication units for providing input as well as logistical support for production and launching of the report.
As the President of AGRA, I thank all the people who provided support in various ways.
Special thank you to the chapter authors:
• Introduction and Agriculture Productivity, Growth, and Competitiveness: Willis Kosura, University of Nairobi and Geophrey Sikei, EfD-
Kenya.
• Agricultural Production: Evelyn Namubiru-Mwaura, AGRA and Frank Place, ICRAF.
• Soil Fertility Management: Bashir Jama, Rebbie Harawa, Abednego Kiwia, Marie Rarieya, David Kimani, Abdi Zeila, at AGRA and
Jason Scarpone, AFAP.
• Status of Seed Systems Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: Edward Mabaya, Cornell University; Paul Omanga, FAO; and Joseph
DeVries, AGRA, with contributions from George Bigirwa, Jane Ininda, Issoufou Kapran, Rufaro Madakadze, Itai Makanda, Kehinde
Makinde, Fred Muhhuku, Aboubacar Toure, all at AGRA.
• Financing Agriculture: Bernadette Mukonyora, IFAD, and Nixon Bugo, AGRA.
• Transforming African Agriculture by Improving Output Markets: Gideon Onumah, NRI, with contributions from Anne Mbaabu and
Stephen Njukia, both with AGRA.
• Enabling Policy Environment: Augustine Langyintuo, International Finance Corporation, World Bank Group (formerly at AGRA).
• Status of Farmers’ Organization and Associations: Nicholas Biekpe, Africa Growth Institute; Fadel Ndiame, Mary Njoroge, Pauline
Kamau, Samuel Sey, all with AGRA.
• Capacity and Institutional Development: Rufaro Madakadze and Marie Rarieya, both with AGRA; Sebastian Chakeredza, ANAFE, and
Wellington Ekaya, RUFORUM.
• Gender and Agricultural Development: Margaret Kroma, AGRA
• Extension and Advisory Services: Kristin Davis, GFRAS/IFPRI, and Margaret Kroma, AGRA
Valuable comments and suggestions were provided by Sam Asuming-Brempong, University of Ghana; Bernard Bashaasha, Makerere
University; Sonii David, HKI; David J. Spielman, IFPRI; Shellemiah Okoth Keya, University of Nairobi; Julius Mangisoni, Bunda College;
Patricia Mbote, University of Nairobi; Isaac Minde, Sokoine University; Munguzwe Hichaambwa, Indaba University, Zambia; David
Ndung’u, University of Nairobi; Olanrewaju Smith, ITC; Haroon Sseguya, Makerere University; Hardwick Tchale, World Bank; August
Temu, ICRAF; Timothy Williams, IWMI; Ishmael Sunga, SACAU; and Bernard Vanlauwe, IITA, who peer reviewed and critiqued the chapters
on Africa Agriculture Status Report. Maria Wanzala contributed information on CAADP that was included in the report. The report also
benefited from a technical convening on the Report held on April 29, 2013 in Nairobi, Kenya. All those who were able to attend deserve
our appreciation.
The report benefitted greatly from the insights of the members of the editorial team and we are very grateful for their time and effort.
We thank staff from the ministries of agriculture, and the central bureau of statistics in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi,
Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia for providing the country specific
micro data included in this report.
The technical box on Status of Agriculture Statistics was prepared by Naman Keita, FAO. Data tables were compiled and prepared by
Jane Njuguna and Aboubacar Diaby.
Jane Karuku
President
7
Preface
The Africa Agriculture Status Report: Focus on Staple Crops trigger smallholders’ agricultural transformation across the
was inspired by the need to have an accessible and staple crop value chain; discussing factors of production,
reliable resource depicting the status and trends of African technology adoption, input-output markets, access to
agriculture. Given the crucial role agriculture plays in finance, policy environment, and institutional and human
African economic growth and development, it is critical to capacity building. The collection also considers partnership
have such a resource—compiled with current and accurate and leveraging of resources. The second section is a collation
information on key indicators—as a reference when of both macro and micro data from 16 Sub-Saharan Africa
designing policies and strategies that guide future growth countries that AGRA currently operates in. The micro data
and development of agriculture in Africa. were provided by the ministries of agriculture and bureaus
of statistics in the respective countries. The macro data
The 2013 Report has taken more than one and half years came from institutions that track key indicators on a regular
to produce. During this period we consulted a number of basis such as the World Bank and the Food and Agriculture
Government Agriculture Ministries, Bureaus of Statistics, Organization. The Report aims to foster an on-going data
bilateral and multilateral organizations, NGOs, and other collection effort on key agriculture indicators that are
research institutions who have done extensive work and tracked on a regular basis and reported on in subsequent
are involved in the collection and publication of relevant publications moving forward.
Sub-Saharan Africa agriculture statistical reports and data
on staple crop production, distribution, and marketing. We The 16 countries were selected based on the size of
have attempted to consolidate and condense the relevant rural population, the potential of increased production
staple crops statistical reports and data in one publication estimated by comparing average productivity with best
and to provide a contextual narrative to these data to inform practices in the region, the presence of key threshold
Africa’s agriculture stakeholders and decision makers. conditions for a successful transformation, including
existence of hard infrastructure, overall governance and
Our aim is to produce an annual series of the Africa leadership, and interest of other partners/donors/private
Agriculture Status Report that will provide an in-depth and sector. The rural population of these countries is estimated
comprehensive analysis of emerging issues and challenges to represent about 60% of the rural population in Sub-
being faced by African smallholder farmers and allow Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Sudan. These
African scholars and professionals to contribute practical countries also reflect regional representation, and the
and evidence-based solutions. The publication also offers likelihood of regional spill-over effects.
a platform to share relevant and current knowledge and
experiences that can contribute to improving Africa’s food It is our hope that this first edition of the Africa Agriculture
security. The Report is also an opportunity to promote open Status Report will be the beginning of a series of many such
access to Africa’s agriculture data. Another complementary reports that will highlight and examine the challenges and
objective of this Report is to develop a common platform opportunities that smallholder farmers in Africa currently
where national agricultural surveys/censuses, data from face. It is also our fervent hope that the featured topics
national and international research institutions, data from will contribute to the solutions and innovations needed
bilateral and multilateral funded projects and programs to trigger the unique approaches and methodologies
can be readily accessible to all the stakeholders interested contextualized in Africa for Africans to achieve a uniquely
in agriculture and food security in Africa. African Green Revolution. We will continue to improve and
expand the scope of the macro and micro data coverage
This report is divided into two sections. The first section is and the countries and regions represented in Sub-Saharan
a collection of comprehensive and well-focused articles on Africa as we move forward in subsequent publications and
agriculture in Africa guided by the uniqueness of the African as data become available. We welcome collaborators and
Green Revolution Concept. The topics focus on factors that contributors to future publications.
Dr. David S Ameyaw
Director, Strategy, Monitoring and Evaluation
Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
8
Acronyms
ADI Africa Development Indicators
ADP Agro-dealer Development Program
AECF Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund
AFAAS African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services
AFAP African Fertilizer Agribusiness Partnership
AFnet African Network for Biological Management of Soil Fertility
AFORNET African Forestry Research Network
AFRICRES Africa Investment Climate Research
AfSIS Africa Soil Information Service
AGOA African Growth and Opportunity Act
AGRA Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa
AICAD African Institute for Capacity Development
AIS Agricultural Innovation System
ANAFE African Network for Agriculture, Agroforestry and Natural Resources
ARPPIS African Regional Postgraduate program in Insect Science
ASARECA Association for Strengthening Research in Eastern and Central Africa
ASTI Agriculture Science and Technology Indicators
AU African Union
AusAID Australian Agency for International Development
AUC African Union Commission
BioEARN Eastern Africa Regional Programme and Research Network for Biotechnology
BWFCU Becho Woliso Farmers’ Cooperative Union
CAADP Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme
CFC Common Fund for Commodities
CGIAR Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research
CIAT International Center for Tropical Agriculture
CIDA Canadian International Development Agency
CIP International Potato Center
CMAAE Collaborative Master’s Program in Agricultural and Applied Economics
COMESA Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
DAAD German Academic Exchange Service
DFID Department for International Development
DUS Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability
EACI Education for African Crop Improvement
EAGC Eastern Africa Grain Council
EAPGRTC East African Plant Genetic Resources Training Consortium
EASCOM Eastern Africa Seed Committee
ECA Eastern and Central Africa
ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States
ECX Ethiopia Commodity Exchange
EFSA European Food Safety Authority
EU European Union
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization
FAOSTAT Food and Agriculture Organization Corporate Statistical Database
FARA Forum of Agricultural Research in Africa
FDI Foreign Direct Investment
FFS Farmer Field Schools
FIACC Fund for the Improvement and Adoption of African Crops
FOSCA Farmer Organizations Support Centre in Africa
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FTE Full Time Equivalent
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GEM Gender Entrepreneurship Markets
GFRAS Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services
GM/GMO Genetically modified
GOR Government of Rwanda
IAC Inter Academy Council
IARC International Agriculture Research Centers
IAU International Association of Universities
ICT Information Communication Technology
IFAD International Fund for Agriculture Development
IFC International Finance Corporation
IFDC International Fertilizer Development Center
IFPRI International Food Policy Research Institute
IITA International Institute of Tropical Agriculture
ILO International Labour Organization
ISFM Integrated Soil Fertility Management
ISTA International Seed Testing Association
JSE Johannesburg Stock Exchange
KACE Kenya Agricultural Commodity Exchange
KARI Kenya Agricultural Research Institute
KDGCBP Kenya Dairy Goat and Capacity Building Project
KENFAP Kenya National Federation of Agricultural Producers
KIRSAL Kenya Incentive- Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending
LBC Licensed Buying Company
MDG Millennium Development Goal
MIS Market information systems
MSc Master of Science
NAMC National Agricultural Marketing Council
NARI National Agricultural Research Institutes
NARS National Agricultural Research Systems
NCPB National Cereals and Produce Board
NEPAD New Partnership for Africa’s Development
NGOs Non-Governmental Organizations
NPT National Performance Trial
NRI Natural Resources Institute
ODA Official Development Assistance
OECD Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
OSCA One Stop Centre Association
PASS Program for Africa’s Seed Systems
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
PVP Plant Variety Protection
R&D Research and Development
RUFORUM Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture
SACAU Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions
SACCO Savings and Credit Cooperative
SADC Southern Africa Development Community
SAFE Sasakawa Africa Fund for Extension Education
SAFEX South Africa Futures Exchange
SAP Structural Adjustment Program
SARUA Southern Africa’s Regional University Association
SEPA Seed Production for Africa
SIDA Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency
SSSN SADC Seed Security Network
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Description:Status of Seed Systems Development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Chapter 06: 70.
Financing African Agriculture: An Imperative for Inclusive Innovative Financing.
