Way forward for agricultural development in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

This review article argues that rural sub-Saharan Africa has suffered from a wide
 range of disadvantages that have stunted its agricultural development. Agricultural
 areas have been characterised by policy voids and neglect, and have failed to achieve
 sustained development. A lack of incentives, rural investments, and institutional
 support has hobbled African farmers. Any way forward for the agricultural areas
 will rest on decisively tackling rural poverty. Many analysts have remarked on the
 debilitating effects of traditional tenure whereby most Africans do not hold secure
 title to the land they farm. Land tenure reform must be coupled with the pursuit of
 the best that modern technology and research has to offer. African farmers are also
 seriously disadvantaged by the subsidies that developed nations pay their farmers.
 A renewed commitment to a more open trading regime between Africa and its main
 trading partners is a sine qua non for Africa to prosper. In essence, for Africa fully
 to realise its agricultural potential it needs urgently to transcend the methods and
 cultural institutions of its past even though this may entail something of a shock to
 the system and alienate certain vested interests. But this cannot happen without
 political stability and good governance.