Africa’s smallholder farmers can be agriculture’s game changers of the 21st century. The numbers speak for themselves. Up to 80% of the food we eat in Africa is produced by smallholder farmers – people who tend crops and raise livestock on less than a hectare of land – and most of them are women. The reality is that the real output from this class of farmers remains far below their potential. When Africa’s farmers get hold of what their counterparts elsewhere in the world take for granted, they will rapidly catch up. That means empowering them with access to finance, better seeds and fertile soil, reliable markets and secure rights to their land, effective extension services and supportive policies. Policymakers can further fuel Africa’s agricultural development by overcoming obstacles that limit the productivity of women farmers relative to men. By putting these basic principles into practice and forging strategic, well-considered partnerships, Africa’s smallholder farms can succeed as businesses connected to thriving local, regional and global markets. When Africa’s smallholder farmers prosper, Africa and the world will prosper. Photo credit; Madelene Cronjé, Mail & Guardian
Posted on: Wed, 25 Jun 2014 17:42:45 +0000
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