Rome, Italy
June 22, 2009
A vast stretch of African savannah
land that spreads across 25 countries has the potential to turn
several African nations into global players in bulk commodity
production, according to a study just published by
FAO and the World Bank.
The book, entitled Awakening Africa’s Sleeping Giant -
Prospects for Commercial Agriculture in the Guinea Savannah Zone
and Beyond, arrives at its positive conclusions by comparing
the region with northeast Thailand and the Cerrado region of
Brazil.
At the moment only ten percent of the Guinea Savannah zone, a
vast area of around 600 million hectares of land from Senegal to
South Africa, with 400 million hectares suitable for farming, is
actually cropped.
Physically challenged
The Cerrado and northeast Thailand, like the Guinea Savannah
both had physical disadvantages; abundant but unreliable
rainfall patterns, poor soils and a high population density in
the case of Thailand; and remoteness, soils prone to acidity and
toxicity and low population in the case of the Cerrado.
In both countries, successive governments created the conditions
for agricultural growth “characterized by favourable
macroeconomic policies, adequate infrastructure, a strong human
capital base, competent government administration, and political
stability,” according to the publication.
Indeed, Africa is better placed today to achieve rapid
development in agriculture than either northeast Thailand or the
Cerrado when their agricultural transformation took off in 1980,
the study argues.
There are a number of reasons for this: rapid economic,
population and urban growth providing diverse and ample domestic
markets; favourable domestic policy environments, improved
business climates in many countries; increased foreign and
domestic investment in agriculture; and the use of new
technologies.
Small farmer growth
If development is to be equitable and social conflict is to be
avoided, then a smallholder-led agricultural transformation such
as the one undergone by Thailand is a better model than that
which happened in Brazil with large-scale farming led by wealthy
farmers, the study finds.
“Commercial agriculture in Africa can and should involve
smallholders to maximize growth and spread benefits widely,”
said Michael Morris, Lead Agricultural Economist with the World
Bank in Madagascar.
“Large-scale mechanized production does not offer any obvious
cost advantages, except under certain very specific
circumstances and is far more likely to lead to social
conflict,” he said.
The experience of Thailand and Brazil shows that when
smallholder farmers are involved in development, then poverty
reduction is greater and local demand stimulated.
In the case of low-value staples however, it is unlikely that
land-constrained households farming 1-2 hectares or less will be
able to earn sufficient income to exit poverty. The emerging
pattern of commercial agriculture in the African Guinea Savannah
therefore must provide diversification opportunities for
producers of low-staples, the publication argues.
Environmental costs
Changing the use of land in the Guinea Savannah to agriculture
will inevitably bring some environmental costs, the study found,
but that agriculture can also benefit the environment.
“Commercialization of agriculture through intensification can
reduce environmental damage by slowing the spread of agriculture
into fragile and/or environmentally valuable lands,” said
Morris.
“However intensification brings with it risks of environmental
damage through destruction of vulnerable ecosystems and the
excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides.”
As agricultural intensification takes place, governments must
take care to monitor environmental impacts and implement
measures to reduce or avoid damage. “Fortunately, there is a
wealth of experience from other countries on which to draw,”
said Guy Evers, Africa Service Chief in the FAO Investment
Centre.
The publication is a shortened version of a larger study drawn
up by officials from the World Bank with technical advice from
FAO experts and funding from Italy. |
|
