Organic agriculture as a roadmap for sustainable agricultural productivity and food security: Evidences from sub-SaharanAfrica

Abstract

In sub-SaharanAfrica (SSA), agricultural production is largely rain-fed and dominated by smallholder farmers. Amongst the attempts made towards improving the productivity of these smallholders are the introduction and use of synthetic fertilizers to enhance soil fertility, the use of chemical herbicides, cultivation of improved crop varieties, and provision of irrigation facilities to augment rain water, particularly during off season. Although most of these technologies are unaffordable to the SSA small farmers (e.g. fertilisers),Africa continues to rely heavily on the importation ofagro-chemicals. The lopsided political economy and ecology of the African economies have thus made them totally dependent on Western agricultural technologies and foreign aids. Given the current scenarios, the resultant adverse effects of the excessive use of agro-chemicals have continued to have impact on the environment and human health. Nonetheless, the potentials of organic agriculture, which emphasizes the need to promote low-external input agriculture (LEIA) has not been properly and fully harnessed. Organic agriculture is a holistic system that promotes a healthy agri-food system right from production to distribution. It employs a number of strategies in maintaining as well as improving land productivity. It is a sustainable, environmentally friendly production system which can offer Africa and other developing countries a wide range of economic, environmental, social and cultural benefits, amongst which are enhanced food security; protection of natural resources, including soil and water quality; less dependency on foreign inputs and price volatility related to external inputs; and reduced illness and death associated with agro-chemical exposure. This paper employs a critical discourse analysis to review literature on the importance of LEIA on agricultural sustainability and food security. Amongst others, the write-up contested issues relating to harvest declines of agricultural crops due to lack of inorganic fertilizers; reduced income for small holder farmers as a result of decline in harvest of agricultural crop yields and the reasons why smallholder farmers need to adopt organic farming. By providing examples of success stories (case studies), the paper also makes an advocacy for organic agriculture as a panacea for enhanced agricultural productivity and food security in the SSAregion. Keywords: Rain-fed agriculture, agri-food system, political economy, low-external inputs, organic farming, food security, sustainability, smallholders.