War tests Africa’s agricultural policies

It’s barely one month since Russia invaded Ukraine. Already the entire world is feeling the pain of the soaring prices of food products and oil. What is worrying most is how Africa, a net importer of food, will survive the impact of the war.

Agriculture has been seen as the backbone of most sub-Saharan African economies for so many years. It contributes an average of 25 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP).

But Africa’s dependence on food imports from Ukraine and Russia makes the continent vulnerable. It is also a clear indication that most policies are never implemented, especially in the agricultural sector.

Many African consumers are already feeling it, with most commodity prices rising due to the disruption of the supply chains from the two countries.

Recently, while at a supermarket, I heard a woman lamenting, “My children have been missing chapati for a long time and with the price of oil now going up, we might be forced to start eating boiled food.”

The runaway prices of energy and food have pushed inflation higher. And it’s undermining any chance of economic recovery. Erosion of the value of income will definitely be felt globally. And this might translate into a major impact on some sectors like agriculture, energy and tourism which are key to African economies.

In my view, higher cost of energy and food might trigger instability in Africa. In addition, there could also be other drivers of food insecurity, including persistent conflicts in at least 10 countries.

The continent must start making plans to deal with the emerging food insecurity by building a resilient agricultural industry that can withstand global shocks such as conflicts far away from home.

Our dispassionate attitude towards food security should be giving us sleepless nights. But this is our greatest letdown.

For example, in Kenya, there is no reason why we must always resort to importing food. We’ve started looking towards India to import their wheat. Millers are seeking a lift of India wheat importation ban because the country might run out of wheat.

As the second most important cereal in Kenya after maize, wheat contributes substantially to food security, poverty reduction and employment creation. On the other hand, the national demand for wheat and wheat products is on the increase, partly due to the high population growth, increased urbanisation, and changing trends in food consumption patterns.

The Kenya Wheat Production Handbook 2016 by the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) notes that the local wheat production is mostly rain-fed. And it has not been able to meet the high demand, leading to importation of large quantities to plug the gap between supply and demand.

According to KALRO, the gap is as a result of challenges and constraints faced by farmers and other players along the wheat value chain.

These include diseases, pests, inadequate seed systems, poor soil and water management practices, low levels of knowledge and information on new and improved varieties, as well as physical and institutional bottlenecks in the marketing chain.

The government can address these challenges by relooking the policies and providing support to farmers in the form of research and extension. The use of technology and innovation can also help in regulating and promoting trade in the wheat sub-sector.

As a cash crop, wheat generally can generate more profit than maize. Therefore, if smallholder farmers in the wheat-producing counties can learn to grow it professionally, they will not only help in improving the country’s nutritional status but also reduce poverty.

With the information that the African Development Bank to raise $1 billion to support the production of wheat and other crops in Africa, there is need for a clear policy framework on how the government will use the funds.