The Role of Agriculture in African Development

Obviously an adequate food base is an essential prerequisite for development. Unless this need can be met there can be little hope for successful economic, social and political development. Agricultural development in most countries is a necessary precondition for economic development unless they are fortunate enough to have other resources which can be exported to finance food imports. Even in the latter case such imports would detract from the accumulation of capital necessary for industrialization and would be unwise from a developmental standpoint, unless the country did not have suitable conditions for agriculture. Comparative economic advantage may dictate the utilization of cropland for the production of non-food agricultural products such as cotton, jute or rubber, but this practice is economically sound only if the country has sufficient food cropland to meet local needs or if the export of non-food agricultural products generates sufficient earnings to offset the cost of food imports. Thus the food question is inextricably entwined with the general problems of agricultural and economic development. The importance of agriculture to development is not disputed in the developmental literature. Opposing views, however, have emerged as to its proper role in development. Perhaps the most prevalent approach in older, developed countries might be called the integrative view. Agriculture is seen as a more or less equal partner with industry and other sectors of society. As agricultural efficiency and production increase, a release of labor from the agricultural sector requires a reciprocal ability on the part of the industrial sector to absorb such labor. If this release-absorption interaction is not coordinated developmental problems are experienced (Reynolds, 1975: Ch. 1). In countries with the integrative view, agriculture often foots the major burden for the capitalization of industrialization as in the case of the United States and Japan.