Transforming agriculture in Africa

The report identifies the lack of formal land documentation as a primary barrier to agricultural productivity in Africa, preventing smallholder farmers from accessing the credit needed for technological advancements like irrigation and mechanisation. It highlights the risks of 'land grabbing', particularly in the Nile River Basin, and advocates for a policy shift that prioritises domestic food production and the cultivation of indigenous crops over cash crops for export to ensure national food security.

• Agricultural productivity in Africa is hindered by a lack of access to credit, which is primarily caused by the absence of formal land documentation and property rights. An estimated 90% of rural land in Africa is not formally documented, and less than 20% of occupied land in sub-Saharan Africa is registered, leaving it vulnerable to expropriation and land grabbing.
• Low levels of technological advancement in African agriculture—including limited irrigation, low mechanisation, and minimal fertiliser use—are linked to the inability of farmers to access credit due to insecure land ownership.
• There has been a significant 'land grab' in the Nile River Basin, covering 3.18 million km from Uganda to Egypt, where foreign companies have acquired land for biofuels, livestock, and food crops. This trend often benefits foreign investment and export earnings at the expense of local livelihoods.
• The document argues that African governments should prioritise national food security and the production of domestic crops suited to local climates over the pursuit of cash crops for the export market, noting World Bank findings that commercialisation has shown little evidence of improving nutritional status.

APA

le Roux, A., & Cilliers, J. (2026). Transforming agriculture in Africa. Institute for Security Studies. https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=04-agriculture&topic=05-transforming-agriculture

Chicago

le Roux, Alize, and Jakkie Cilliers. Transforming agriculture in Africa. Institute for Security Studies, 2026. https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=04-agriculture&topic=05-transforming-agriculture.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=le Roux |first1=Alize |last2=Cilliers |first2=Jakkie |title=Transforming agriculture in Africa |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=29 March 2026 |url=https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=04-agriculture&topic=05-transforming-agriculture |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{leroux2026transforming, author = {le Roux, Alize and Cilliers, Jakkie}, title = {{Transforming agriculture in Africa}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2026}, month = mar, url = {https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=04-agriculture&topic=05-transforming-agriculture}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }