OPINION - African agriculture: for strong and coherent policies

Agriculture and agricultural development in Africa have never been more essential for the continent and the future of the planet. The disruption of supply chains due to COVID-19, climate and health shocks, and the surge in prices since 2021, amplified by the Russo-Ukrainian war against a backdrop of insecurity in the Sahel and other areas, underscore this imperative. It is urgent that we all mobilize to achieve greater food sovereignty, reduce malnutrition and food insecurity..

The FARM and Avril Foundations published in July 2022 a study based on the analysis of several agricultural sectors in Africa, which shows that with political will and the commitment of decision-makers and field actors, increasing production and productivity is possible. If we move away from a logic of one-off projects to form a coherent policy corpus oriented towards the construction of sectors, the results are there.

Chicken and millet in Senegal, corn in Rwanda, soybeans in Togo... The examples studied show that an increase in productivity, supported by proactive public intervention with input subsidies, production of improved seeds, subsidized credit, and guaranteed prices, can drive rapid intensification of production. This helps reduce deforestation, increase farmers' incomes, and lower food costs.

The issue goes beyond primary agricultural production.

A major challenge is to promote local product processing and distribution to meet market needs, particularly the growing demand from urban dwellers, in terms of quantity and price, but also quality. Absorbing the doubling of the continent's population expected by 2050 will require the creation of millions of jobs, an imperative to which the agricultural and agri-food sectors can make a vital contribution, provided they are structured in an interprofessional spirit.

Faced with competition from international markets, only collective action can enable the efficient development of sectors and a fair distribution of value.

This approach involves the public authorities a global strategy for building sectors and regulatory measures. These public policies will become more effective if private actors are involved. By establishing solid contractual relationships, supported by banks, resilience and resistance to the volatility of agricultural markets is possible. In the past, the coffee, cocoa, and cotton export sectors were the subject of ambitious and coherent plans. It is possible to do as well, and even better. The changing geopolitical context requires it. If local processing is supported and the food economy stimulated, these will create new opportunities, particularly for young people and women.

The effectiveness of such an approach also depends on the financial resources available, which are currently far too limited in Africa. The budget allocated to agriculture and food is 284 times greater in the European Union than in sub-Saharan Africa.

The priority today is to structure national financial systems that are favorable to agriculture and small and medium-sized enterprises in the sector. We should also encourage French "impact" companies to get involved. They can support sectors geared toward African domestic markets to promote the autonomy of food systems and the agro-ecological development of the continent.

Pascal Lheureux, President, and Catherine Migault, General Manager of the FARM Foundation

Gérard Tubéry, President, and Philippe Leroux, Director General of the Avril Foundation