eprintid: 11555
rev_number: 8
eprint_status: archive
userid: 3170
dir: disk0/00/01/15/55
datestamp: 2020-08-14 11:37:27
lastmod: 2020-08-14 11:37:27
status_changed: 2020-08-14 11:37:27
type: article
metadata_visibility: show
creators_name: Bjornlund, V
creators_name: Bjornlund, H
creators_name: Van Rooyen, A F
icrisatcreators_name: Van Rooyen, A F
affiliation: School of Commerce, University of South Australia, Adelaide
affiliation: ICRISAT (Bulawayo)
country: Australia
country: Zimbabwe
title: Why agricultural production in sub-Saharan Africa remains low compared to the rest of the world – a historical perspective
ispublished: pub
subjects: s2.4
subjects: s26
subjects: s4004
divisions: CRPS5
crps: crp1.13
full_text_status: public
keywords: Agricultural production, Sub-Saharan Africa, Historical perspective, Resource extraction, Food security, Economic development
note: We received important support in writing this article from Ms Karen Parry in structural and copy
editing. The article was produced in the context of the project Transforming Smallholder Irrigation
into Profitable and Self-Sustaining Systems in Southern Africa, funded by the Australian Centre for
International Agricultural Research and by CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and
Ecosystems, with support from CGIAR Fund Donors.
abstract: Agricultural production in sub-Saharan Africa has, in recent times, remained lower than the rest of the world. Many attribute this to factors inherent to Africa and its people, such as climate, soil
quality, slavery and disease. This article traces the role of agriculture through history and argues that these are not the main reasons. Before the arrival of European traders, complex agricultural systems existed, which supported food security, manufacturing and trade.
External interference manipulated these systems in pursuit of export crops. Independence has not fundamentally changed this; resource and wealth extraction continue to inhibit economic development for Africans in Africa.
date: 2020-05
date_type: published
publication: International Journal of Water Resources Development (TSI)
publisher: Routledge
pagerange: 1-34
id_number: doi:10.1080/07900627.2020.1739512
refereed: TRUE
issn: 0790-0627
official_url: https://doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2020.1739512
related_url_url: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=10.1007%2Fs10457-020-00493-7&btnG=
related_url_type: pub
citation:   Bjornlund, V and Bjornlund, H and Van Rooyen, A F  (2020) Why agricultural production in sub-Saharan Africa remains low compared to the rest of the world – a historical perspective.  International Journal of Water Resources Development (TSI).  pp. 1-34.  ISSN 0790-0627     
document_url: http://oar.icrisat.org/11555/1/07900627.2020_C.pdf