Xinshen Diao

Resnick, Danielle

Hazell, P.B.R.

Thurlow, James

Changes in the global environment have led some to question whether the conventional wisdom on the role of agriculture in economic development is still relevant to Africa today. This report critically examines the literature on this issue, taking both the conventional and skeptical views into account. It complements this review with case studies of five African countries. The findings indicate that agricultural growth will play an essential role in promoting overall economic growth and reducing poverty in most of Africa's agrarian-based economies. This holds true even for countries that have the potential for industrial growth driven by natural resources. The results also show that only smallholder food-staple and livestock production can generate broadbased agricultural growth. By demonstrating that Africa's agricultural and food subsector cannot be bypassed, this report contributes to an important ongoing debate in development studies.

Implications for Sub-Saharan Africa

The Role of Agriculture in Development

Peter Hazell

Shashidhara Kolavalli

Danielle Resnick

Using Ghana as a case study, this work integrates economic and political analysis to explore the challenges and opportunities of Africa's growth and transformation.

Past Performance and Future Prospects

Ghana's Economic and Agricultural Transformation

Paul Anthony Dorosh

Shaikh Mahfuzur Rahman

How can East and Southern African nations reduce poverty and hunger through agricultural growth? How can they create sufficient market demand to power such growth? This report proposes answers to these questions, applying a general equilibrium framework to the experiences of Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The authors conclude that, for countries like these, promoting traditional agricultural exports, developing nontraditional exports, and increasing food staple growth will probably not be sufficient to generate a significant level of economic growth. Instead, the model simulations suggest that reductions in marketing costs through improved infrastructure and development of market institutions, along with significant growth in the nonagricultural economy (besides that generated by agricultural growth linkages) are necessary conditions for rapid economic growth. This report's findings are a valuable first step toward understanding how East and Southern African nations can achieve economywide growth and poverty reduction.

A General Equilibrium Examination of Demand-side Constraints on Agricultural Growth in East and Southern Africa

Market Opportunities for African Agriculture

Xinshen Diao

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