Seeding the Harvest

The document presents a set of recommendations focused on four key areas: science and technology options, the development of research and knowledge institutions, the cultivation of a new generation of agricultural scientists, and the implementation of markets and policies to boost food security in Africa.

• The panel recommends a multifaceted science and technology strategy for African agriculture, which includes adopting market-led productivity improvements, a production ecological approach for priority farming systems, and 'integrated sustainable intensification of production' to increase productivity while reducing environmental harm. It also suggests prioritizing rain-fed agriculture, reducing land degradation, and improving farmer coping strategies regarding 'environmental variability and climate change'.
• To build institutional capacity, the panel suggests investing in national agricultural science systems that include farmers, creating African centres of agricultural research excellence, and reforming university curricula to include multidisciplinary and ecological approaches. There is a call to increase sustainable funding for higher education to reduce reliance on external donors.
• Policy and market recommendations include investing in rural infrastructure, expanding market opportunities, establishing intellectual property rights to encourage private sector partnerships, and reducing trade barriers between Africa and OECD countries.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2004). Seeding the Harvest. https://saiia.org.za/research/seeding-the-harvest/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Seeding the Harvest. 2004. https://saiia.org.za/research/seeding-the-harvest/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Seeding the Harvest |date=28 July 2004 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/seeding-the-harvest/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2004seeding, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Seeding the Harvest}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2004}, month = jul, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/seeding-the-harvest/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }