Why agricultural production in sub-Saharan Africa remains low compared to the rest of the world – a historical perspective

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

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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.

Item Type:	Article
Divisions:	Research Program : East & Southern Africa
CRP:	CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Agricultural production, Sub-Saharan Africa, Historical perspective, Resource extraction, Food security, Economic development
Subjects:	Others > Agriculture-Farming, Production, Technology, Economics Others > Food Security Others > Sub-Saharan Africa
Depositing User:	Mr Arun S
Date Deposited:	14 Aug 2020 11:37
Last Modified:	14 Aug 2020 11:37
URI:	http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/11555
Official URL:	https://doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2020.1739512
Projects:	UNSPECIFIED
Funders:	UNSPECIFIED
Acknowledgement:	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.
Links:	Google Scholar

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