Introduction
A highly developed agricultural sector, as a rule, is the indicator of a sustainable economy since this industry brings essential large profits but, at the same time, requires significant expenditures. In Africa where quite a few countries have a low level of financial development, this sphere of life is of particular importance due to various factors. This work is aimed at determining the significance of agriculture in African countries, the main features of the regulation of this field, as well as the causes leading to a failure in a traditional developmental system.
Importance of Agriculture to Africa
The development of agriculture in Africa is not only the objective of the development program but one of the priorities. According to Adenle, Azadi and Manning (2018, p. 413), this filed “drives economic development and gross domestic product (GDP) growth, industry growth, and global trade, whilst enhancing quality of life and providing jobs”. Since the shortage of industrial enterprises is felt in some regions, stimulating the agricultural industry is natural.
Moreover, in addition to financial gains, other issues are also inevitably affected, for instance, the problem of poverty. As Adenle, Azadi and Manning (2018, p. 413) argue, about 40% of the continent’s population go hungry, and the chronic lack of money is a typical situation. An opportunity to correct the situation through increased attention to this sector is one of the logical and informed decisions. In addition, Banson, Nguyen and Bosch (2016, p. 81) note that in this field, about 65% of the continent labour population is involved. Therefore, the importance of agriculture to Africa is undeniable and logical.
Failure of Traditional Agricultural Development Efforts in Africa
Although the agricultural sector is of importance for Africa, the formation of the traditional development model has proven to be ineffective. Porter et al. (2018) remark that a weak economy has always hampered the use of modern mechanisms that could allow fertilising the soil and cultivating products efficiently. The quality of labour also plays an essential role in the development process of this sphere.
According to Brown, Llewellyn and Nuberg (2018), the overwhelming majority of farm employees are low-skilled, which complicates natural progress and innovations. Moreover, the economic effect of the management and control system also has not brought any positive changes. Sparrow and Traoré (2018) argue that in some regions, particularly in West Africa, losses in agriculture were significant and, despite helping some people to avoid poverty, a positive balance was not observed, and costs exceeded income. As a result, the traditional principle of agricultural development in many African countries has proven to be ineffective.
Conclusion
The importance of agriculture in Africa as a key industry is significant due to problems in the economy and the attendant difficulties, such as poverty, unemployment, and other challenges. Despite the relevance of this industry, the traditional principles of development have not proved to be successful. Various obstacles have become barriers to introducing the principles of innovations, thereby forcing farmers to adapt the industry to the local conditions.
Reference List
Adenle, AA, Azadi, H & Manning, L 2018, ‘The era of sustainable agricultural development in Africa: understanding the benefits and constraints’, Food Reviews International, vol. 34, no. 5, pp. 411-433.
Banson, KE, Nguyen, NC & Bosch, OJ 2016, ‘Using system archetypes to identify drivers and barriers for sustainable agriculture in Africa: a case study in Ghana’, Systems Research and Behavioral Science, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 79-99.
Brown, B, Llewellyn, R & Nuberg, I 2018, ‘Global learnings to inform the local adaptation of conservation agriculture in Eastern and Southern Africa’, Global Food Security, vol. 17, pp. 213-220.
Porter, ME, Kramer, MR, Ramirez-Vallejo, J & Herman, K 2018, Yara International: Africa strategy. Web.
Sparrow, AD & Traoré, A 2018, ‘Limits to the applicability of the innovation platform approach for agricultural development in West Africa: socio-economic factors constrain stakeholder engagement and confidence’, Agricultural Systems, vol. 165, pp. 335-343.