Agricultural Research and Development: Essential to Accelerate Progress and Recovery toward Inclusive Agricultural Transformation in Africa
What actions are needed to accelerate progress and recovery toward inclusive agricultural transformation in Africa?
On a recent podcast episode of the African Green Revolution Forum 2021 (AGRF2021) series, the authors of the recently published report, “Agricultural Productivity Growth, Resilience, and Economic Transformation in Sub-Saharan Africa: Implications for USAID,” and panelists from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa discuss necessary actions for accelerating progress and recovery toward inclusive agricultural transformation throughout Africa. The essential role of agricultural research and development for productivity-led agricultural growth in Africa emerged as a clear theme throughout the episode.
Podcast moderator, Agnes Asiimwe Konde, vice president for program innovation and delivery at Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), and lead author of the report, Thom Jayne, professor emeritus at Michigan State University and advisor to the president of the African Development Bank, discuss key findings of the Board for International Food and Agricultural Development (BIFAD)-commissioned study. First, agricultural production growth has been a major driver of economic transformation in sub-Saharan Africa over the past 20 years and is linked to notable improvements across other development indicators in health, education and government effectiveness. However, this productivity growth is primarily attributed to land area expansion — a concerning trend considering environmental costs of deforestation and biodiversity loss. Pointing to several cases in Africa and Asia, countries that invest substantially in agricultural research, development and extension have achieved more rapid productivity growth rates. This growth is enabled through effective agricultural research, development and extension (R&D&E) systems and land tenure, finance, policy, infrastructure, market access and other factors fostering an enabling environment that promotes innovation and adoption of technologies and practices.
Responding to these findings and reflecting upon their own research and experiences, panelists offer recommended actions to accelerate productivity-led growth — a few of which are summarized below.
Increase total government investment in agricultural research and development
Panelist Lulama Traub, technical committee member for the Regional Network of Agricultural Policy Research Institutes (ReNAPRI) — an African-led, regionally coordinated group of national agricultural policy research institutes — points to data suggesting that most African countries are spending well below 1% of agricultural gross domestic product (GDP) on agricultural research and development (R&D). Of the few countries spending 1% or greater of agricultural GDP in agricultural R&D, most measured positive annual growth in agricultural output with growth attributed to increased total farm productivity and input use, rather than through land expansion.
Create incentives and protect investments to capitalize private sector investments in areas that are critical to productivity
Panelist Tosin Ojo, vice president of the Sahel Group, encourages private sector-led research with governments providing laws and legislation to incentivize and protect private sector investments in R&D. Panelists encourage capital investments in agricultural R&D that have great potential for return on investment and that respond to emerging challenges, such as climate change adaptation and genetic potential for drought tolerance.
Organize and foster symbiotic partnerships between the private sector, governments, research and higher education institutions
Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa, points to the value of public-private partnerships to leverage the capacities of partner organizations. Wandile’s examples highlight the role of universities and research institutions in identifying evidence-based policy recommendations, objectively advising both the private and public sectors.
In concluding remarks, Thom Jayne highlights three “ingredients” to building strong agricultural R&D in Africa: 1) strengthening partnerships and coordination between national research organizations and international research institutes, including the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) system; 2) building the political will to support increased public investment in agricultural R&D; and 3) leveraging the staggering increase in human capital, including the 14-fold increase of youth attending postsecondary education in the past two decades, by incentivizing careers in agricultural research.
Listen to the podcast to hear more from these panelists and share your comments and ideas: https://agrf.org/podcasts/.
About BIFAD: BIFAD is a seven-member, presidentially appointed advisory board to USAID, established in 1975 under Title XII of the Foreign Assistance Act, as amended, to ensure that USAID brings the assets of U.S. universities to bear on development challenges in agriculture and food security and supports their representation in USAID programming.
Note: The views shared in this post and any shared resources are those of the author and speakers and do not necessarily reflect the formal opinion of USAID or BIFAD.
Related Resources
View the Report Here