Optimizing Africa’s food systems
This article in International Policy Digest argues that the optimization of the agricultural sector in Africa is essential to achieve the SDGs and to ensure a healthy and prosperous Africa. The authors present different policy recommendations that, in their opinion, will not only ensure food security but also will promote inclusive growth. The authors state that generally speaking, Africa is not a healthy continent and it lags behind the rest of the world in all the indicators of health. Besides producing more nutritious food, optimizing productivity of the agriculture sector in Africa could go a long way in bridging the resources gap the continent needs to revamp and develop its healthcare. The nine recommended policies range from pro-women empowerment policies to the promotion of intra-regional trade and to the full liberalization of Africa’s air space. The article also further elaborates on how optimizing the agro-value chain can have trickle-down effects and improves healthcare, job creation and poverty.