From Africa Recovery, Vol.11#2 (October 1997), page 9 (part of special feature on Agriculture in Africa)

Fighting poverty through rural growth

Chronic food insecurity and poverty are "virtually the same," says the World Bank, noting that 50-70 per cent of poor people in sub-Saharan Africa live in rural areas. This population lacks "income, assets, or entitlements with which to produce, buy, or exchange for sufficient food," the Bank says in a 1996 report, Taking Action for Poverty Reduction in Sub-Saharan Africa. Strong rural growth is "clearly vital" for raising rural incomes, the Bank says, adding that a "resurgence of growth in agriculture must be a top priority for Africa's poverty reduction strategy."

Noting that agriculture typically employs up to 70 per cent of the working population, the Bank says labour-intensive agricultural growth is very important for poverty reduction. Women, it says, are "particularly vulnerable" to poverty and are "already overburdened with household and other tasks." The Bank recommends specific measures to help increase women's incomes, including greater access to land, credit and technologies to raise their productivity. Calling for adequate support from donor countries and institutions, the Bank urges African governments to take the lead in helping raise agricultural productivity through better provision of credit and extension services, improved road and marketing infrastructure, and applied research.

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