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CHINESEAfrican leaders and farmers need to launch an agricultural revolution to eradicate hunger and malnut
Release time：2015.01.22 News sources： viewed：
Africa is changing rapidly. However, too many people (including a large number of farmers) will continue to be hungry and malnourished if more is not invested in agriculture.
African agriculture plays a prominent role in terms of economic growth, food security and poverty alleviation, with 63% of the population living in rural areas. In Sub-Saharan Africa, agriculture employs 62% of the population (or around half a billion people) and generates 27% of gross domestic product (GDP). Nevertheless, 226 million Africans are chronically undernourished and 5 million die of hunger every year. African agriculture is based on smallholder farming (less than 2 hectares): 80% of all farms are small and family-based.
Women play a critical role in smallholder farming. They are mothers and primary caretakers (in particular, providing nutrition to children) as well as farmers. They do most of the weeding, harvesting and processing. Although women make up 60-80% of smallholder farmers and produce 90% of the food in Africa, only 15% possess land titles, only 10% can obtain credit, and only 7% have access to extension services.
Small family farms are a critical engine of food supply in the world. However, in Africa they operate under great constraints with respect to their asset bases and access to inputs, technology, services and markets. Small food producers are a critical link connecting food security, nutrition, sustainable agriculture, economic growth and poverty eradication. Since a large proportion of these producers live in poverty, agriculture-led growth has a critical poverty-reducing impact.
African agriculture plays a prominent role in terms of economic growth, food security and poverty alleviation, with 63% of the population living in rural areas. In Sub-Saharan Africa, agriculture employs 62% of the population (or around half a billion people) and generates 27% of gross domestic product (GDP). Nevertheless, 226 million Africans are chronically undernourished and 5 million die of hunger every year. African agriculture is based on smallholder farming (less than 2 hectares): 80% of all farms are small and family-based.
Women play a critical role in smallholder farming. They are mothers and primary caretakers (in particular, providing nutrition to children) as well as farmers. They do most of the weeding, harvesting and processing. Although women make up 60-80% of smallholder farmers and produce 90% of the food in Africa, only 15% possess land titles, only 10% can obtain credit, and only 7% have access to extension services.
Small family farms are a critical engine of food supply in the world. However, in Africa they operate under great constraints with respect to their asset bases and access to inputs, technology, services and markets. Small food producers are a critical link connecting food security, nutrition, sustainable agriculture, economic growth and poverty eradication. Since a large proportion of these producers live in poverty, agriculture-led growth has a critical poverty-reducing impact.
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