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The Dynamics of African Agricultural History: Is it Time for a New Development Paradigm?

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  • David Niemeijer

Abstract

Much of our present day perception of African agriculture is still indirectly based on the coloured accounts of the early explorers and administrators. It involves an often very static conception of ‘traditional’ African agriculture. Not only does this fail to dojustice to the rich and dynamic history of African agriculture, it has also led to an inappropriate research and development paradigm which treats African agriculture as a disrupted equilibrial system that needs readjustment to return to an equilibrial and productivestate. A diachronic study of African agricultural history reveals that many of our preconceptions of African society and agriculture are invalid: agriculturists are not inert, but respond in innovative and dynamic ways to the perturbations of their natural and socialenvironment. It appears that their survival is not so much dependent on the establishmentof a fine‐tuned equilibrium, but rather on the dynamic responses to these external disturbances. It is very likely that the agro‐ecosystems in large parts of Africa function mainly as non‐equilibrial (unstable), but nevertheless persistent systems. This has importantimplications for development interventions and agricultural research. It requires a shiftfrom a synchronic approach to a diachronic approach that is firmly based on an understaning of the past.

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  • David Niemeijer, 1996. "The Dynamics of African Agricultural History: Is it Time for a New Development Paradigm?," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 27(1), pages 87-110, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:devchg:v:27:y:1996:i:1:p:87-110
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-7660.1996.tb00579.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lionel Cliffe, 1987. "The Debate on African Peasantries," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 18(4), pages 625-635, October.
    2. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808.
    3. Marten, Gerald G., 1988. "Productivity, stability, sustainability, equitability and autonomy as properties for agroecosystem assessment," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 291-316.
    4. Gavin Williams, 1987. "Primitive Accumulation: The Way to Progress?," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 18(4), pages 637-659, October.
    5. Goran Hyden, 1986. "The Anomaly of the African Peasantry," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 17(4), pages 677-705, October.
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    1. Stump, Daryl, 2010. ""Ancient and Backward or Long-Lived and Sustainable?" The Role of the Past in Debates Concerning Rural Livelihoods and Resource Conservation in Eastern Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(9), pages 1251-1262, September.
    2. Park, Albert Sanghoon, 2017. "Does the Development Discourse Learn from History?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 52-64.
    3. Klas Rönnbäck & Dimitrios Theodoridis, 2019. "African agricultural productivity and the transatlantic slave trade: evidence from Senegambia in the nineteenth century," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 72(1), pages 209-232, February.
    4. Aaron deGrassi, 2007. "Envisioning futures of African agriculture," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 7(2), pages 79-98, April.

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