Africa’s Agriculture Needs Policy, Not Just Science

Why this is here: Roughly 60% of African households rely on land for their livelihoods, yet the continent holds nearly 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land.

Malick Ndiaye, with over four decades of experience in agricultural research across Africa—including roles in Senegal and at the Africa Rice Center—argues that scientific advances alone cannot improve farming on the continent. He observes a common criticism that agricultural research is costly with little return, but contends this overlooks the larger ecosystem needed for impact. Ndiaye points to the Asian Green Revolution as an example where scientific breakthroughs in wheat and rice were paired with government investment in infrastructure and support services.

Rwanda and Ethiopia show recent progress, with coordinated systems linking research to farmers and public investment. New Rice for Africa varieties, developed by AfricaRice, saw uptake in Uganda and Guinea when coupled with effective programs. However, Ndiaye notes that improved seeds often remain unavailable to farmers due to weak seed systems and infrastructure gaps hinder promising innovations.

He urges a shift in perspective, viewing research as an investment in broader development goals, and calls for stronger collaboration between science, policy, finance, and farming communities to scale successes across the continent.