Africa is currently undergoing economic growth at a fantastic pace than the rest of the world. This has resulted in a number of credible investors scrambling to partake in this trend. Physical distances are shortening. Urban markets are expanding, information and communication costs have reduced tremendously. Not leaving out transportation infrastructure and macroeconomic conditions, which have so much improved within the last three decades.
However, there are a number of academic debates on Africa’s ability to get out of poverty in the 21st century. The majority of the opinions differ from each other (and some to a large degree on how viable present-day Africa growth directions are). There is also a consensus that agricultural transformation is vital to the smooth present and future welfare gains.
In the long run, it is generally agreed, that recently, the signs of agricultural growth from the long term, is the boat for present-day developments and demographic expansion which does raise the possibility that Africa will compete for a green revolution of its own.
The introduction of ‘Green Revolution’ in Africa couldn’t have been better. It occurred exactly in the period when the population growth reached its zenith. With this comes the responsibility to keep pace with population growth. According to a recent report by UN, the people in the world will increase from 7 billion to 10 billion at the end of this century.
About 50% of the calculated increase is expected to occur in Sub-Saharan Africa alone; this projection has shown the need to improve and balance the growth in urban areas with that of the rise in rural incomes. As it is, the majority of Africans remain employed in agriculture, so improving rural living standards is the vital and instrument to curbing the further increase in socioeconomic backgrounds.
Favorably, there is a renewed focus on national and international markets on rural development in Africa. After a long period of neglect, investors increasingly recognize Africa’s economic, and geographic diversity. Also, there is a calculated ambition to do away with the environmental costs of the green revolution regarding land erosion, water, and soil pollution. Agreed on the need for a green revolution clarifies the need to mix agricultural growth and productivity with a more improved form of economic management.
Lastly, it is crucial to recognize that most of the technological advances in the present era are contributing significantly to the development and need for urban demographic growth. Also, the more neighboring African countries with a historical legacy of agricultural intensification are, the more favorable it will be for larger colonial structures.
The effects of climate change are likely to expand intra-African diverseness and raise intra-African movement. In other words, it is safe to conclude that the Great Divergence that emerged at an increasing rate in the past centuries, will be seen within the Sub-Saharan Africa in the 21st century.