Africa has the singular and tragic distinction of being the only place in the world where overall food security and livelihoods are deteriorating. Over the last 15 years, the number of Africans living below the poverty line ($1/day) has increased by 50 percent, and it is estimated that one-third of the continent’s population suffers from hunger. In the past five years alone, the number of underweight children in Africa has risen by about 12 percent.
A root cause of this entrenched and deepening poverty is the fact that millions of small-scale farmers—the majority of them women working farms smaller than one hectare—cannot grow enough food to sustain their families, their communities, or their countries.
The challenges confronting Africa’s small-scale farmers—most of whom are women—start in the field and extend across the entire agricultural value chain. Most African farmers can neither access nor afford basic farm inputs. High quality seeds, organic and mineral fertilizers needed to replenish depleted soils, and simple water management systems that allow farmers to deal with erratic rains are largely beyond reach. Good roads are scarce. Strong market, extension, and finance systems are lacking. Small-scale farmers also need the support of government policies that promote sustainable and productive African agriculture and that ensure access to markets.
Since the early 1960s, Africa has gone from being a net food exporter to a net importer. Per capita food production has declined as the population growth rate of 3 percent a year has outstripped the 2 percent annual increase in food production. But, until recently, government and international support for agricultural development has declined.
Due to these challenges, African leaders are calling for a revolution in agriculture that will enable the continent’s small-scale farmers to prosper. AGRA is responding to this call by building African-led partnerships that draw upon the knowledge of Africa’s farmers, apply the lessons of modern agriculture, and work across the agricultural value chain while rigorously monitoring the impact in terms of equity and environmental sustainability.
