Agriculture After independence

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the stagnation of African agricultural productivity since independence, highlighting the roles of poor policy, land tenure issues, conflict, and climate change in maintaining a significant yield gap compared to the rest of the world.

• African agricultural yields have consistently lagged behind global averages since the 1960s. In the early 1960s, yields were approximately 1.1 tons per hectare, which was 1.3 tons below the global average; by 2020, yields rose to 4 tons per hectare but remained 3.7 tons below the global average.
• Post-independence agricultural development was hindered by a lack of budgetary allocation, as leaders prioritized rapid industrialization and 'vanity projects'. Furthermore, the retention of bifurcated land ownership systems allowed urban elites to replace colonists in land ownership, and formalization of land ownership only gained recognition toward the end of the 20th Century.
• Growth in African agricultural production has been driven primarily by expanding the land area under cultivation rather than increasing productivity. Between 1990 and 2007, Africa was the only developing region where area expansion exceeded yield growth.
• Violent conflict has severely degraded agricultural capacity in specific nations. Angola, once the world's fourth-largest coffee producer and self-sufficient in most food crops before 1975, saw production destroyed by wars lasting until 2002. In the DR Congo, agricultural productivity fell to 60% of its 1960 independence level by 2006, and the country currently faces an annual food trade deficit of US$1.5 billion.
• Environmental degradation and climate change significantly impact productivity, as 95% of the continent's cultivation relies on rain rather than irrigation. Africa has experienced over 350 extreme drought events in the last 100 years, with nearly half causing famines or food shortages. Additionally, forest land decreased from 722 million hectares in 1990 to 642 million hectares in 2020.
• Africa is currently the most food-insecure region globally, with 278 million people facing undernutrition in 2021. Moderate and severe food insecurity prevalence was 58% in 2021, with undernourishment rates reaching 30% in East Africa and 33% in Central Africa.
• Budgetary support for agriculture remains low, averaging 5-7% of national budgets. While 11 countries allocated 10% or more since 2005—including Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, and Sierra Leone—smallholder farmers, who provide 80% of sub-Saharan Africa's production, still struggle with fragmented supply chains and lack of access to markets and equipment.

APA

le Roux, A., & Cilliers, J. (2026). Agriculture After independence. Institute for Security Studies. https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=04-agriculture&topic=03-after-independence

Chicago

le Roux, Alize, and Jakkie Cilliers. Agriculture After independence. Institute for Security Studies, 2026. https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=04-agriculture&topic=03-after-independence.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=le Roux |first1=Alize |last2=Cilliers |first2=Jakkie |title=Agriculture After independence |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=21 April 2026 |url=https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=04-agriculture&topic=03-after-independence |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{leroux2026agriculture, author = {le Roux, Alize and Cilliers, Jakkie}, title = {{Agriculture After independence}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2026}, month = apr, url = {https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=04-agriculture&topic=03-after-independence}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }