The state of African economies depends on how seriously agriculture is taken, says Dione

Addis Ababa 23, April 2007 - The Director of Food Security and Sustainable Development at the Economic Commission for Africa, Josue Dione, said today in Addis Ababa that the overall economy of most African countries, and their potential for achieving the MDGs, depend significantly on how seriously they take agriculture.

Welcoming about 20 experts to a 3-day meeting on agriculture and rural transformation, Dr. Dione said this was because of the strong backward and forward linkages between agriculture and other productive and service sector of the economy.

“Rural poverty or wealth obviously feeds urban poverty or wealth, especially through rural-urban economic and social linkages and migration,” he said.

He said, however, that inspite of the strong evidence of the role of agriculture for spurring economic growth and reducing poverty in Africa, “the sector has been neglected, if not undermined over the last 3-4 decades.”

About 46 percent of Africans live on less than a dollar a day and more than two-thirds of those people live rural areas where they depend on agriculture and agriculture-related non-farm activities for their livelihoods.

Dr. Dione said while Africa was spending $25 billion annually on food and agriculture imports, and receiving $2 billion yearly in food aid, “nearly one-third of the total population still suffers from chronic hunger.”

The experts, who are drawn from research institutes, universities, regional economic communities, and the private sector, will review the main challenges and opportunities relating to agriculture and rural transformation in Africa.

They will also give recommendations on the next edition of the Sustainable Development Report on Africa (SDRA), which addresses agriculture and rural transformation in Africa.

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