Issue paper
Food Security and Agricultural Development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Building a Case for More Public Support. Policy Assistance Series 2
There are four main reasons for which agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) deserves more public support. First is a moral imperative: SSA governments cannot and should not ignore a sector on which about 70 percent of their population directly depend for their livelihoods, if they are serious about their commitment to MDG1. Second, in spite of their generally poor performance, SSA countries do not have any realistic strategic option that they can rely upon for achieving sustainable economic development, other than agriculture. Third, there is evidence that appropriate policies and direct public sector investment have combined to trigger agriculture sector-led economic growth.
Fourth, on average, agriculture in SSA has generally performed better than most other sectors, except in countries endowed with mineral resources.