(Ecofin Agency) - Agricultural production in sub-Saharan Africa should grow by 26% over the next decade. This was revealed in the OECD-FAO Agriculture Outlook 2016-2025. However, the report highlights that this production will not be enough to overcome the food deficit that the region is currently recording as demand should, in the next 10 years, soar 30%, at a rate of 3% per year.

Despite this, agriculture in Africa should help cut undernourishment to 19% from 23%, as a result of a rapid penetration rate of technology in agriculture and better integration of small farmers in value chains. The next decade will thus witness the emergence of intermediary farmers, Commodafrica revealed.

Talking about agricultural products prices, Secretary General of OECD, Angel Gurria, said: “Although we are now witnessing a period of lower agricultural prices, we need to remain alert as changes in markets can take place rapidly. The key priority for governments in the current context is to implement policies that will increase agricultural productivity in a coherent and sustainable way.”

Aaron Akinocho