Agriculture sector remains most important pillar for food security
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-food that all humans experience.
Throughout history, portions of the world's population have often suffered sustained periods of hunger. In many cases, hunger resulted from food supply disruptions caused by war, plagues, or adverse weather. In the decades following World War II, technological progress and enhanced political cooperation suggested it might be possible to substantially reduce the number of people suffering from hunger. While progress was uneven, by 2015 the threat of extreme hunger subsided for many of the world's population. According to figures published by the FAO in 2019 however, the number of people suffering from chronic hunger has been increasing over the last four years. This is both as a percentage of the world's population, and in absolute terms, with about 821 million afflicted with hunger in 2018.
There are a number of significant changes that are happening in Africa, the most important being that it is a continent with some of the fastest growing economies. Five of the world’s fastest growing economies are in Africa.
This has resulted in increased wealth in a segment of the population, with its attendant shift in food consumption patterns.
Africa’s population is also growing fast. For instance, between 2015 and 2050, the populations of 28 African countries are estimated to have more than doubled.
According to UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), 2015 report, the population of ten African countries namely: Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mali, Niger, Somalia, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia, are projected to increase by at least five-fold by 2100.
Increase in population growth in Africa, especially the youth segment, presents an opportunity to unleash the potential of the sizeable and growing demographic; it, however, also means more mouths to feed.
Combining the effects of consumption pattern changes and the high population means that the agriculture sector must respond by not only producing more food, but also food that appeals to a wealthier society.
African countries will likely continue to experience lower agricultural yields due to the impact of climate change, encroachment of agricultural lands – particularly crop and rangelands and, biodiversity loss.
In order to ensure sustainability of the agriculture sector, increased and quality investments need to be channeled into the sector.
Evidences supported by data and analysis from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) shows that agriculture plays an important role in economic development and poverty reduction as it creates employment opportunities and contributes to household income and food availability.
A majority of Africa’s poor population lives in rural areas. Increasing investments into the agriculture sector can therefore play a critical role in poverty alleviation, especially rural poverty, since the majority of rural poor depend on agricultural activities for their livelihoods.
The agriculture sector and its associated services will therefore remain as the most important pillar for food security and nutrition. The sector will also remain a critical engine for inclusive economic growth and transformation in Africa.
Various studies by FAO and partners confirm that the sector employs more than 70 percent of the labour force especially in rural areas where the majority of the poor live.
While currently 55 per cent of the world’s population lives in urban areas, Africa’s population remains mostly in rural areas, with 57 percent of its rural population living in areas where agriculture is the mainstay of the economy.
