Agriculture and development: Can Africa feed itself in a changing climate?

African economies have grown dramatically in recent years, with per capita GDP in the sub-Saharan region rising by 40%, in real terms, just since 2000. But the wealth generated from that growth has not been spread evenly; as of 2011, 47% of people in sub-Saharan Africa lived on less than $1.25 per day.

A large share of Africa’s poor also depends on climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, forests and fisheries for their livelihoods. Food production falls short of the continent’s needs, leaving millions hungry and requiring extensive imports. Climate change is expected to add to those challenges.

Yet Africa is also a vast continent, more than three times the size of Europe with much lower population density – and with considerable untapped energy and agricultural resources. Many regions have tremendous agricultural potential that is unutilized due to chronic lack of investment. Productivity is often low due to very low use of fertilizers, unavailability of modern energy services, lack of water resource management and underdeveloped infrastructure.

Can Africa dramatically increase its agricultural productivity, not only to feed its people but also to support economic development? That was the focus of the fourth Climate and Development in Africa Conference, organized by ClimDev-Africa, a consortium of the African Union Commission (AUC), the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Development Bank.

The stated objective of the two-day event was “to provide a platform for deliberating on how Africa can utilize climate knowledge to transform agricultural production systems in order to sustainably feed itself and improve the socio-economic well-being of its people”.

Francis X. Johnson and Stacey Noel at the conference. Click to enlarge.SEI was represented by Africa Centre Director Stacey Noel and Francis X. Johnson, an SEI senior research fellow based in Stockholm who also spoke at a plenary session on renewable energy from agriculture (see his presentation).

“The conference offered a unique meeting place to address the interplay between climate adaptation and mitigation policy goals and agricultural development in Africa,” Johnson said. The theme was “Africa can feed Africa now: translating climate knowledge into action”, with four sub-themes:

1. Improving and harnessing climate data, information and knowledge for agricultural production, water resource management and food security;
2. Agricultural opportunities for renewable energy development in Africa;
3. Enhancing Africa’s capacity to mobilize and access climate finance and investment for a climate-resilient agricultural transformation; and
4. Innovation, technology transfer and deployment to enhance agricultural transformation in a changing climate.

One of the most complex questions arising from the discussion, said Noel, is how to balance the need for local food security with economic growth and trade.

“Both are immensely important,” she said. “Development aid and climate finance won’t lift Africa’s poor into the middle class, or keep subsistence farmers from going hungry during droughts. We need a vibrant, locally anchored private sector and foreign investment. But we also need good planning and governance to ensure that the benefits of economic growth reach everyone.”

Several conference panelists talked about prioritizing food production for local consumption, Johnson noted, while only a few talked about turning subsistence agriculture into agricultural businesses.

“The status quo land use and energy equation is a lose-lose case,” Johnson added. “Rural dwellers and subsistence farmers struggle to feed their families, and rely on wood or charcoal production , which leads to forest degradation and a decline in ecosystem services. Africa can achieve much more with its land resources if it engages in the modern bio-economy.”

“In the 21st century, farmers that produce only food will not be competitive,” Johnson added. “Agricultural businesses will also have to provide energy, bio-chemicals and other value-added products. Not every farmer or business needs to produce all those things, but regions and countries need to make optimal use of land, water and labour resources. If they do that, over time, agriculture will evolve towards greater efficiency and product diversity, both for local use and for export. Otherwise the same issues will be on the table in 20 years, when the physical and economic conditions will be more difficult.”

Learn more about the Climate and Development in Africa Conference »

Download Francis X. Johnson’s presentation (PDF, 2.6MB)