In the Central African Republic, the agriculture sector has been identified as a key driver of economic growth, according to a report by the World Bank. The sector currently employs 75% of Central Africans, particularly women, in informal jobs, but it has been hampered in recent years by lack of investment and modernisation, as well as poor infrastructure.
The report, titled Weathering growing risks: Addressing macro-fiscal challenges and unlocking the potential of the agriculture sector, highlights the urgent need for bold and sustained reforms to revitalise the sector and lift millions of people out of poverty.
This is especially important as CAR’s economy faces overlapping crises, including higher food and fuel prices, disruption in supply chains, political turmoil following the adoption of the cryptocurrency law, and the impact of the war in Ukraine.
Guido Rurangwa, World Bank’s country manager for the Central African Republic, said, “CAR has abundant arable land and a favourable climate for agriculture and livestock… A comprehensive strategy, underpinned by concrete reforms, can unlock the potential of the agriculture sector, protect livelihoods, accelerate growth, create jobs, and improve the living conditions of Central Africans.”
The report identifies five priority areas for transforming the agriculture sector: institutional framework, access to finance, access to markets, land rights and ownership, and farming inputs and equipment.
These areas require a regulatory framework for rural finance, a national farmers database with groups classification, low-interest loans from microfinance institutions, expansion of mobile banking services, improved quality of roads and transportation, an agro-pastoral code to guide the acquisition and securing of agricultural land, and efforts to enhance availability of agricultural machinery and its use by farmers.
One important aspect highlighted in the report is the importance of empowering women in agriculture. Women represent more than 78% of agricultural labour in CAR, and empowering them is essential for the well-being of families and rural communities, as well as overall economic productivity, improving food security, and reducing poverty.
The report is a call to action for policymakers, investors, and development partners to prioritise and invest in the agriculture sector to improve the livelihoods of Central Africans and boost economic growth.
It notes that public investments in agriculture have averaged less than 3% of total public sector spending over the past decade, well below the 10% target set under the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program, a continent-wide initiative of the African Union.
As the report states, “CAR has the potential to transform its agriculture sector into a key driver of growth and prosperity for all its citizens. Bold and sustained reforms can create an enabling environment for the agriculture sector to thrive, protect livelihoods, accelerate growth, create jobs, and improve the living conditions of Central Africans, particularly women.”
