Agricultural Development

An estimated 202 million hectares of land suitable for farming remain uncultivated in Africa, despite near-constant calls for the region to intensify its agricultural production to keep up with the food demands of a rapidly growing population. So why is so much potentially productive land not being used for agriculture? In many areas, unreliable rainfall and poor soil fertility make the land, while cultivable, difficult to farm.

Over the past decade, Ethiopia’s agricultural productivity has exploded, particularly for cereal crops. This expansion in agriculture has led to impressive economic growth, but it’s unclear exactly what is behind the advance in productivity. Additionally, Ethiopian agriculture relies heavily on smallholder farmers, and some researchers are concerned that the recent growth may not be sustainable on the country’s increasingly small landholdings.

Studies have shown that when women own or control household assets, they can improve the well-being of both themselves and their families.  But in many developing countries, men own and control the majority of assets. Without a fair share of ownership, women have little or no control over such decisions as what crops to plant or how and when to sell produce of livestock. Ownership and control of assets can also impact who is eligible to participate in and benefit from development programs.