Emerging Trends and Scenarios for Agribusiness Development in Africa

This paper will: Review the roles of agriculture, as defined by the “classic” Johnston-Mellor paradigm, in context of the renewed emphasis on African agriculture and the changed environment in which it functions and conclude on the need for and nature of adjustments i.e. whether a paradigm shift is required; • Identify drivers and trends that will shape agricultures’ roles in the African region. These will include meeting the growing demand for food at global, regional and household levels; activating Africa’s untapped agricultural production potential and production and price scenarios; evolving agri-food business systems; investment and scale issues in African agriculture; and economic management and governance; • Illustrate the impact of such drivers by calling evidence from recent developments in African agriculture; and • Consider a strategic framework - functions, thrusts and actions - and derive scenarios for African agribusiness development for the next decades.