For the majority of African countries, the agricultural sector still provides a relatively large share of GDP, but productivity in the sector has lagged considerably behind that of other continents and Africa’s own potential. Furthermore, evidence from developed countries, Asia and Latin America strongly suggests that agriculture can be an engine of growth early in the development process and also an important force for poverty reduction. For these reasons, ACET has chosen agriculture as one of the priority sectors for its research agenda and has started a series of specific country case studies that would inform ACET’s policy recommendations on agricultural transformation to African countries. We define agricultural transformation by using a number of indicators. These indicators include where each country is and how it is progressing with respect to: the evolution of agricultural productivity over time; the level of agricultural diversification; the level of competitiveness of the sector; technological upgrading of production and production techniques; how far farmers are linked to markets including the level of development of agricultural value chains and agro-processing, development of commercial agriculture, the ease or difficulty for farmers to enter and/or exit the agricultural sector, and the possibilities they have to earn rural nonfarm income The studies will also analyze the major policy issues that would affect agricultural transformation and how sectoral reforms, macroeconomic reforms, and technological change influence farmers’ incentives to make the investments necessary for agricultural and food system transformation.
ACET is currently working on the first piece of analytical work on agricultural transformation using Ghana as a case study. This report seeks to identify clear indicators of what would constitute a successful agricultural transformation, what has been the experience of Ghana on efforts at agricultural growth and transformation, and where Ghana is in terms of the key indicators and measures described above. The study would outline potential scenarios for the transformation of agriculture by doing a detailed review of the constraints preventing Ghana from improving each indicator and analyze how to tackle these constraints. The first draft of this report is expected to be completed by the end of 2011 and it will be followed by other country specific agriculture transformation studies.
For the majority of African countries, the agricultural sector still provides a relatively large share of GDP, but productivity in the sector has lagged considerably behind that of other continents and Africa’s own potential. Furthermore, evidence from developed countries, Asia and Latin America strongly suggests that agriculture can be an engine of growth early in the development process and also an important force for poverty reduction. For these reasons, ACET has chosen agriculture as one of the priority sectors for its research agenda and has started a series of specific country case studies that would inform ACET’s policy recommendations on agricultural transformation to African countries. We define agricultural transformation by using a number of indicators. These indicators include where each country is and how it is progressing with respect to: the evolution of agricultural productivity over time; the level of agricultural diversification; the level of competitiveness of the sector; technological upgrading of production and production techniques; how far farmers are linked to markets including the level of development of agricultural value chains and agro-processing, development of commercial agriculture, the ease or difficulty for farmers to enter and/or exit the agricultural sector, and the possibilities they have to earn rural nonfarm income The studies will also analyze the major policy issues that would affect agricultural transformation and how sectoral reforms, macroeconomic reforms, and technological change influence farmers’ incentives to make the investments necessary for agricultural and food system transformation.
ACET is currently working on the first piece of analytical work on agricultural transformation using Ghana as a case study. This report seeks to identify clear indicators of what would constitute a successful agricultural transformation, what has been the experience of Ghana on efforts at agricultural growth and transformation, and where Ghana is in terms of the key indicators and measures described above. The study would outline potential scenarios for the transformation of agriculture by doing a detailed review of the constraints preventing Ghana from improving each indicator and analyze how to tackle these constraints. The first draft of this report is expected to be completed by the end of 2011 and it will be followed by other country specific agriculture transformation studies.
