Agriculture After independence

Since independence, African agriculture has lagged behind global productivity due to a lack of resource allocation, tenure reform, and infrastructure. Despite possessing 45% of the world's land suitable for sustainable production expansion, the continent remains the most food-insecure region globally, with yields remaining roughly half of the global average. Productivity is further hampered by conflict in states like Angola and DR Congo, extreme weather events, and significant deforestation, with 4 million hectares of forest lost annually. While the African Union's CAADP initiative aims to drive growth, most national budgets allocate only 5-7% to agriculture, leaving smallholder farmers—who provide 80% of sub-Saharan production—without essential inputs and market access.

• African agricultural yields have consistently lagged behind the global average since the 1960s. In the early 1960s, yields were approximately 1.1 tons per hectare, which is 1.3 tons below the world average; by 2020, yields rose to 4 tons per hectare but remained 3.7 tons below the global average.
• Post-independence governments prioritised industrialisation and political emancipation over agrarian development, maintaining bifurcated land ownership systems where urban elites replaced colonists in state institutions.
• Conflict has severely degraded agricultural capacity in specific nations. Angola, once the fourth-largest global coffee producer and self-sufficient in most food crops, 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 faces an annual food trade deficit of US$1.5 billion.
• Environmental degradation and climate change significantly impact productivity. Africa has experienced over 350 extreme drought events in the last 100 years, with nearly half causing famines. Additionally, 4 million hectares of forest are cut down annually, contributing to soil degradation and increased flooding.
• Despite the African Union's CAADP initiative, national budget allocations for agriculture remain low, typically between 5-7%. Smallholder farmers, who account for 80% of production in sub-Saharan Africa, struggle with fragmented supply chains and a lack of access to fair markets and modern equipment.
• Africa is currently the most food-insecure region in the world. In 2021, 58% of the population experienced moderate or severe food insecurity, with undernourishment rates reaching 30% in East Africa and 33% in Central Africa.

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} }