Study: Africa can feed itself in a generation

CNN: Study: Africa can feed itself in a generation

(CNN) — Africa could be able to feed itself in a generation, says a new study being presented to five African presidents Thursday.

Currently a net food importer, Africa has the potential to become a food exporter through a combination of modern technology, improved infrastructure and better technical education, according to the study.

Calestous Juma, professor of the practice of international development at the Harvard Kennedy School in the United States, led the research, which was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Juma told CNN Africa's agricultural transformation would require a shift in focus from exporting raw materials to developing the agriculture sector.

"Seventy percent of employment in Africa comes from agriculture, so you can argue that in Africa agriculture and economy are synonymous," he said. "In effect, you cannot modernize the economy in Africa without starting with agriculture."

According to the study, a lack of investment means food production in Africa has fallen 10 percent since 1960, and production levels are so low that one third of sub-Saharan Africans are chronically hungry.

Technology is key to powering an agricultural revolution, according to Juma. He says modern communications are essential for farmers to keep abreast of changes in market prices and weather conditions.

He also suggests biotechnology, including genetically modified (GM) seeds, will become increasingly important in improving agricultural yields and in mitigating the effects of climate change. …