Rapid urbanization, a youth bulge, an
expanding middle class are the hallmarks of Africa’s unprecedented transformation.
Some of the world’s fastest growing economies are in sub-Saharan Africa. According
to most western leaders and aid agencies the state of Africa is no longer “a
scar on the conscience of the world”.
Africa’s unprecedented transformation is
also spawning new and urgent challenges, many of which defy conventional
approaches and solutions. Despite impressive average GDP growth performance
Africa is stalked by hunger and malnutrition. It is estimated that the
number of malnourished Africans will rise from 132 million to 220 million by
2050.
The scale of hunger and malnutrition could
undermine human capital formation and economic growth prospects. The Cost of
Hunger in Africa study of 12 countries estimates that Egypt has 1.9 percent cut
from its GDP because not all of its children get enough to eat, while Uganda
loses 5.6 percent, Ghana 6.5 per cent and Ethiopia a staggering 16.5 percent.
According to the latest Cost of Hunger
report released in Accra early August 24 percent of child deaths in Ghana were associated
with under nutrition, which had also reduced the country’s work force by 7.3
percent. Moreover, it is estimated
that under-nutrition causes 45% of all child deaths in sub-Saharan Africa – 3.1
million deaths annually.
At the
heart of Africa’s hunger and under nutrition challenge is its dysfunctional
food systems – the interdependent socio-economic and ecological factors that
influence production, post-harvest handling, distribution, processing,
marketing, access and consumption. Africa has the lowest per capita staple food
production in the world. The use of modern inputs, including technology,
irrigation, fertilizers, and improved seeds is uncommon.
Africa’s
small rural farm units rely on family labor; have limited access to advisory
services, technology or improved inputs. These remote small-scale production
units are often isolated and poorly connected to supporting services, such as decent
roads, healthcare and markets. According to FAO the average age of the African
smallholder farmer is about 60 and mostly women, even though the median age of
the population is about 19 years. Small-scale farm households in many parts of
Africa are often food and nutrition insecure between 6-9 months a year.
Food security and good nutrition is the
cornerstone of healthy communities and economies. Without adequate and
nutritious food African children cannot live, learn, flourish and communities cannot
achieve their aspirations of inclusive socio-economic prosperity.
Africa must begin to invest to revitalize smallholder
agriculture and as foundation for durable and inclusive prosperity. Such
investment must target and respond to critical constraints especially in production,
post-harvest handling, value addition, use of technology, markets and equitable
access to nutritious food.
African governments, the African Development
Bank and the World Bank must lead this effort and appreciate that, structural transformation,
sustainable economic growth and shared prosperity in Africa will not the
delivered by multi-billion infrastructure projects alone.
Thriving smallholder agriculture can
revitalize rural economies, provide stable income and secure livelihoods for
women and youth, drive real economic transformation and deliver inclusive
prosperity.
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