The economic development of Africa, more than any other region, depends on development of the agricultural and agro-industry sectors, which are fundamentally affected by productivity of land resources. This is particularly true for sub-Saharan Africa. Agriculture accounts for more than 25% of the gross domestic product (GDP) of most African countries, and is the main source of income and employment for at least 65% of Africa’s population of 750 million. Thus, agricultural development is vital to Africa’s economic growth, food security, and poverty alleviation. By 2020 Africa is projected to import more than 60 million metric tons (t) of cereal yearly to meet demand. Africa’s food security situation has deteriorated significantly over the past two decades. With population growth of about 3% yearly, the number of malnourished people in Africa has grown from about 88 million in 1970 to more than 200 million in 1999─2001. Agricultural production in much of Africa is also hampered by the predominance of fragile ecosystems, low inherited soil fertility, and low use of modern inputs such as mineral fertilizers and improved crop varieties. Crop production in a region can increase through two ways: through higher production per unit of land, or by increasing the area cultivated. The dramatic increases in agricultural production in Asia—known as the Green Revolution—were mostly through higher yields. But Africa’s far lower increases have mostly been through expansion of the cultivated land (Fig. 1, 2).

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