Prospects of Agricultural Development in Africa: Implications for Agricultural Education and Training

The status of both food security and human development in Africa is affected by the performance of agriculture. Agriculture does not only determine the availability of food which is the key element for attaining food security; it is also the main source of livelihoods for majority of Africans, especially the poor. Currently, the share of economically active population in agriculture over that last decade has reduced by about 6%; from 72 to 66%. The key driver of progress in agriculture on the continent is higher farm productivity which requires human capital among other factors of production. Productivity growth (especially, but not exclusively, in small-holding farms) generates farm employment, decent wages for both skilled and unskilled labour, and for rural non-farm income and enhances food purchasing power of both the rural and non-rural poor. These can also translate into more public and private resources for investing in improved infrastructure, services, research and social protection, which further improve three key elements; agricultural productivity, food security, and human development. Education and training must work to sustain these three crucial and mutually reinforcing elements in Africa. How can education and training contribute to Africa’s agricultural growth potential? This paper examines the role of education to increased agricultural productivity and the key areas in which education and training policies, reforms, programmes and investments combine to set Africa firmly on the path to sustainable agricultural development.