Biotech Updates

Yield Gaps in West and Central Africa

April 29, 2011

The greatest agriculture-led growth opportunities in West Africa are in staple crops (cereals, roots and tubers) and livestock production. For Sahel, opportunities are in livestock, rice, coarse grains, and oilseeds (groundnuts); in Coastal countries, staple crops such as cassava, yams, and cereal; and in Central Africa, livestock and root crops. These are forwarded in the report Yield gaps and potential agricultural growth in West and Central Africa published by the International Food Policy Research Institute.

The report identifies a set of development priorities for agriculture that cut across West Africa to meet economic growth goals. It recommends a range of policies and investments to stimulate activities in the following areas: regional cooperation on technology adaptation and diffusion, regional agricultural markets, regional cooperation and harmonization, among others.

A summary of the report is available at http://www.ifpri.org/publication/yield-gaps-and-potential-agricultural-growth-west-and-central-africa