Africa

Income growth, economic dynamism, and demographic change in Africa are transforming food systems and changing opportunities for farmers, entrepreneurs, and employees along the agrifood value chain. Recent economic growth in most countries has created broadly shared benefits, including higher incomes, improved nutrition, and reductions in the prevalence of poverty and in the poverty gap (a measure of the severity of poverty among those who remain poor). Income inequality, while high, has not increased over time. But poverty, hunger, and vulnerability are persistent, and growth has also led to perceptions of exclusion among regions, communities, and individuals benefiting less. Large farmers are best-placed to take advantage of the opportunities created by increased food demand from urban markets, the rapidly expanding food processing sector, and the modernization of distribution chains. Smallholders are at risk of exclusion from value chains if they are not able to meet the demands of high-value markets.