The Growth Performance of Agriculture in Subsaharan Africa

摘要: The historical view of overall global economic growth provided by Maddison presents striking evidence Africa's poor performance. Maddison's cross-regional study suggests that African real GDP grew at 0.6% per annum between 1820 and 1992, which was half the rate world growth. Since much gross domestic product (GDP) is still in agriculture, sector has done poorly. agriculture lags other regions both production productivity. For two decades prior to 1990, agricultural capita declined significantly. Cereal yields, on average, are less than those developing regions. Even for tubers plantain, agroecological conditions suitable, average yields lower Asia Latin America. also severely undercapitalized leading low labor Historically, marginal Africa about same as product, whereas America greater (Delgado Ranade). Total factor productivity slow (Block; Thirtle, Hadley Townsend; Lusigi Thirtle). There are, course, large variations within among countries, with some countries achieving input use technology adoption levels similar However, bottom line clear--over past century, not accumulated capital, grown fast enough realize its potential an important engine poverty reduction. This paper explores relative roles played endowments, population density, remoteness, adverse policies explaining undercapitalization over last century. We attribute performance largely institutional failures, plagued continent several centuries. we explain how endowments could have contributed locking policies, difficulties breaking out policy trap. then describes acceleration during 1990s, policy, institutional, public investment agenda future.