In the middle of the twentieth century, Asia and Latin America experienced an agricultural transformation. Holistic agricultural development programs initiated by governments and philanthropists created new varieties of higher-yielding seeds, improved planting methods through farmer education, and enhanced infrastructure and trade to facilitate the processing and transport of agricultural goods. Known as the "Green Revolution," these efforts utilized climate, soil, and resources to double and even triple food production, saving millions from hunger and poverty.

Africa did not experience the same success (see table above). The science and technology developed during the Green Revolution did not transfer well into the continent's diverse agro-regions. In addition, farmers in Africa are typically subsistence growers, planting site-specific, low-yield crop types. They also contend with a host of other factors:

- limited access to safe water and adequate sanitation;
- wide-spread infectious diseases;
- unreliable precipitation patterns exacerbated by global warming;
- underdeveloped roads, storage facilities and irrigation systems; and
- ongoing conflict and warfare.

By direct or indirect means, these challenges can destroy a season's crop or limit farming entirely, crippling a family's ability to produce income and food.

Since 1970, population growth in sub-Saharan Africa has been faster than any other region in the world, placing even greater strains on food security and forcing farmers to intensify production beyond the point of environmental sustainability. This has resulted in large tracts of nutrient-depleted soil and the devastation of forested areas where soils are still productive. In addition, the projected effects of climate change have long-term implications for ecosystem and human well-being.

In response to these challenges the Rockefeller and Gates foundations announced an initial pledge of $150 million earlier this month to start a twenty-first century agricultural revolution in Africa. Called the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the project intends to adapt and apply the lessons learned from the first Green Revolution toward the specific challenges facing farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Employing a "bottom-up" approach, most of the initial investment will fund the development of regionally-specific, high-quality seed types, designed to increase yields per area of land. Future investments will focus on farmer training; support for local merchants (agro-dealers) who can provide access to materials, fertilizer, and seeds; improving soil and water management; building infrastructure; and strengthening partnerships.

AGRA's goal is ambitious and necessary. However, issues such as gender inequity, population growth, infectious disease, and environmental degradation are beyond the current scope of the initiative and may ultimately determine food security and well-being in Africa. An integrated plan for development will have to consider the following as well:

• Women are principally responsible for producing food crops, yet, as a result, many remain illiterate; how can they be better served?


• With the population of sub-Saharan Africa expected to increase by nearly 400 million by 2025, what technologies outside of the agricultural sector will be most capable of meeting ever-increasing demand?


• Can the spread of infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS be sufficiently reduced to allow the implementation of agricultural development initiatives?


• While revitalized farming practices may meet immediate nutritional and financial needs, will fertilizers, water, and land be utilized in a way that limits potentially harmful long-term impacts on ecosystem services that are essential to rural African life?

According to latest estimates, some 60 percent of the working population in Africa is involved in agriculture. It is clear that poverty and malnutrition solutions require the incorporation of agrarian issues. But these issues extend beyond farming techniques. Educational, environmental, and regulatory revolutions will have to occur in tandem if this generation, and those yet to come, is to have a greener future.

RELATED LINKS

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

The Rockefeller Foundation

EarthTrends

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FAOSTAT
FAOSTAT provides access to over 3 million time-series and cross sectional data relating to food and agriculture.

Africa Environment Outlook 2: Our Environment, Our Wealth
Published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The main focus of the AEO-2 report is on sustainable livelihoods and the environment. The report profiles Africa's environmental resources as assets for the continent's development.

Vital Climate Graphics Africa
The United Nations Environment Programme/GRID-Arendal has produced a fantastic collection of maps, charts, and graphs related to climate change in Africa.

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