Small farms under stress play a huge role for Africa : smallholder agriculture and emerging global challenges

Decades of low agricultural sector performance, particularly in land and labour productivity, is recognised as the main reason for the current food and nutrition challenges the continent faces. And yet, the continent’s prospects of addressing these challenges are inextricably linked to whether Africa reverses the negative trend in smallholder agriculture. So, what are the major challenges facing Africa’s smallholder agriculture? Th is policy note high lights three broad research and policy issues: long-term impacts of past agricultural policies; production relations among the small farmers; and emerging global challenges.