The African continent has the most rapid rates of urbanization in the world. Because of this, cities are the largest and fastest growing agricultural markets in Africa, with between $200 billion to $250 billion per year in food sales. More than 80% of those sales come from suppliers on the continent, according to a new report.
This has created both opportunities and challenges for farmers, particularly those running small farms. The“Africa Agriculture Status Report 2020,” launched at the opening of the African Green Revolution Forum virtual summit on Tuesday, highlights five areas where policymakers and partners can improve farmer access to these urban markets.
“There are some pressures put on smallholder farmers — they need some help to navigate this transition,” said Steven Haggblade, professor of international development at Michigan State University and technical lead on the report, during its launch. Read more…