NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

By Jean Claude Rubyogo, Eileen Nchanji, Justin Mabeya, Patricia Onyango, & Janet Ngombalu

While agriculture provides food and income security to more than half of the population in developing countries, the opportunities are mostly low paying with poor working conditions. Drought and unstable weather brings farmers increasingly low yields, as they grapple with limited access to markets or competitive prices for their crops.

With increased global food, financial and health crises plaguing the world, about 1.3 billion people are not able to access sufficient or nutritious food, and close to a billion people suffer from chronic hunger. As a result, many African countries have refocused attention on the agricultural sector, implementing policies that will enhance public and private sector investments, trade, and markets to promote food and nutrition security. Ultimately the goal is to create and grow businesses leading to economic transformation. A growing share of agro-food trade in commodities such as common beans, green grams and maize, sold as food or processed products, are happening in global value chains (GVCs).

Photo courtesy of Ivko.