Agricultural economics bulletin for Africa No.6

Abstract

The agriculture of the African continent, taken as a whole, is characterized by largely subsistence agriculture, and roughly 75 percent of the population is employed on the land. Only one major geographical unit has less than 50 percent of its population in the rural sector; some have more than 90 percent; roughly 4/5 of the land. and manpower employed in agriculture are engaged on food production, the remaining fifth is devoted to industrial crops largely for export; levels of productivity in agriculture are among the lowest in the world, average output per head for the whole population being only a little higher than in Asia and the Far East despite much more abundant land resources in relation to population. The food and nutrition situation in Africa also has well-known general characteristics; total supplies of food may be fairly adequate in relation to age, physique , climate and levels of activity, but there are local and seasonal shortages and the diet is frequently deficient in such major nutrients as proteins; availability and consumption of livestock products are particularly uneven owing to climatic factors and animal disease and to the special economic position of cattle; diets generally lack variety, often with a heavy dependence on starchy staples; there is widespread lack of knowledge of nutritional principles.