Agriculture is an integral part of sub-Saharan Africa, where more than 60% of the population is smallholder farmers.
It also contributes about 15% to the region’s GDP. However, the value of the sector as a dominant industry is largely underutilised.
The agricultural sector is also characterised by a $18bn trade deficit. Exports consist of raw products such as cocoa beans and tobacco, while imports consist of higher-value finished agricultural products, including but not limited to frozen meat and prepared foods. Major agricultural traders include SA, Ghana, Nigeria, and Ethiopia.
To fully capture the benefit of the agricultural market, several interventions are needed at both country and regional level. They include encouraging land utilisation for agriculture, such as the farming of crops, the building of factories for agro-processing, prioritising agro-processing capability and promoting agricultural investment and financing.
