Agricultural production has grown more rapidly in sub-Saharan Africa between 2000 and 2015 than in any other region of the world. ... The bottom line is that agricultural growth has driven much of the economic diversification and off-farm income growth experienced recently in Africa. The key were education and investor?

Dear Bulo, Can you be more specific? What do you mean by structural changes?

Dear Bisrat Getnet Awoke ,

I mean that, in case of Ethiopia, the linkage between regional and federal agricultural research institutions are not strong enough to overtake research findings. Conflict of interest may rise among the institutions. If all regional agricultural and federal agricultural research institutions are merged together to form one institution and directed through the same institutions, the change we demand for may ascend and successful agricultural innovation and development become more realistic. However, the name regional and federal agricultural research systems were making unclear understanding and even if they shared common values within the same country, it exposes to resource extravagance without significant results. That is the way agricultural research systems become more advanced in our country.

Dear Bulo, you mentioned a very relevant issue. Last time we were raising the same issue, research does not have boarder and we need to be in the same umbrella like in EMBRAPA of Brazil. I appreciate your thoughts and we will push to work hand in hand with common institutional setups. Great view.

Use of agricultural machinery

Agricultural production has grown more rapidly in sub-Saharan Africa between 2000 and 2015 than in any other region of the world. ... The bottom line is that agricultural growth has driven much of the economic diversification and off-farm income growth experienced recently in Africa. The key were education and investor?

Danung Nur Adli , your insights are correct. Education is one of the driver for the emerging economies at SSA. Most of the rural youth are educated; however, they are not interested to be on their family farm as the farming technologies are either manual or draft animal technologies which are extremely laborious and unattractive to pull them to the farming business. Thus, I would tend towards your suggestion as investing! Investing in smart appropriate agricultural technologies could impact a lot.

1- Strengthen the institutional set-up /capacities of the sector

2- Increase the awareness, knowledge and skill levels of the people engaged in the sector about how indigenous knowledge could be coupled with improved technological innovations in agriculture

3- Focus on adding values on the agriculture products maintaining the desired quality and improve the market system in reducing the number of actors across the chain.@

Aklile Nigatu Kastrie. I agree with your inputs but my priority will be number 3. Unless Africa start to process it agricultural products and compete with global market, it wont succeed in its transformation. As transformation is a breakthrough to change from its original position to a game changing environment. Thank you for your insights.

Agricultural transformation in Africa come through policy dedications to improve and use on: 1st, Human capital 2nd, Natural resources 3rd, Technology and innovation

Abera Assefa Biratu agree with you. The mentioned three are all important however, I also think that infrastructures which can accommodate technologies and innovations are also critical for transformation. Thank you for your insights.

In order to improve and transform African agriculture, I propose the following priorities:

1) Adapted local technology and innovation

2) Strengthening rural extension

3) Improve land access and tenure processes

Arlindo Rodrigues Fortes . I agree with what you mentioned. In my view 1 and 3 are critical. Rural extension systems are mostly driven by government without a commercial motive in almost all African countries and hence, agri-business is missed. I prefer introduction of private extension instead of strengthening the existing extension system as a means to transform our African agriculture. Thank you for your insights.