Major Industry
Agriculture and farming are major industry sectors across Africa, with huge numbers employed either informally or formally in the sector. Low labour costs, predominantly favourable climactic conditions is a significant benefit Africa has to offer.
The need for increased investment into Africa and sustainable agriculture is a massive market with virtually unlimited potential. Across Africa, south of the Sahara, agriculture is the predominant sector in the economies of most countries, accounting for between 30 to 40 percent of gross domestic product, and the sector is a leading source of jobs for over two-thirds of Africa’s population.
A country’s economic, environmental and social well-being is intricately linked to a healthy, well-performing agricultural sector. Increasing investments in the agri economy can deliver high-impact development returns such as increasing rural incomes, boosting food security, making cheap and more nutritious food available to Africa’s bustling cities and protecting the environment through innovations such as climate smart agriculture.
Reducing Poverty
Reducing poverty in Africa is the world’s supreme development challenge, and growing the agricultural sector is key to achieving a transformational impact. The agricultural economy employs 65 – 70 percent of Africa’s labour force and typically accounts for 30 – 40 percent of GDP. More than 70 percent of the continent’s poor live in rural areas, and agriculture is their most important economic activity. With an abundance of labour, land and untapped water, Africa has the resources necessary for a massive expansion of agricultural production.
Of the world’s surface area suitable for sustainable production expansion—that is, non-protected, non-forested land, with low population density— Africa has the largest share by far, accounting for roughly 45 percent of the global total.
