Policy and performance in African agriculture since independence: critical reflections

The welfare of the population of Africa is highly dependent on agriculture which still provides the livelihoods for the majority of the population on the continent. However, the performance of the sector has been poor in the post-independence period, particularly after the introduction of structural adjustment programmes which dramatically curtailed the role of the state in supporting it. The chapter traces the history of the sector in the post-independence period with a focus on the shifting policy strategies. Two brief case studies focusing on Ghana and Tanzania are presented to illustrate the post-independence trajectory of agriculture on the continent. The latter part of the chapter lays out alternative potentially more effective policies that could improve the performance of the sector. They are contrasted to the neoliberal strategies that have come to dominate the approach to agriculture in Africa.