Economic growth in Africa is forecast to continue at a robust
rate, slightly above the recent trend of 5 per cent a year.
Economic growth in Africa is forecast to continue at a robust
rate, slightly above the recent trend of 5 per cent a year. And,
Africa is urbanizing fast, with an average of close to 40 per
cent of the population living in cities. As such, it may seem
paradoxical to suggest that agriculture should be Africa’s
number one priority, especially when it comes to employment. But
there are very good reasons for this. Over 60 per cent of
Africa’s economically active population works in and lives from
agriculture; over one third of total value-added comes from
agriculture; and, surprisingly, Africa imports close to US$50
billion worth of food every year, mostly to feed its rapidly
expanding urban population (see chart). This is equivalent to
what Africa receives in official development aid, and over five
times more than the amount invested in future economic growth by
the African Development Bank. T