Large-scale commercial agriculture in Africa: Lessons from the past

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Date

2014

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Institute for Poverty Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS)

Abstract

African agriculture is in a phase of rapid commercialisation. Planners and investors in sub-Saharan Africa urgently need to consider how the choice of business model, the local context and the political environment affect outcomes of commercial ventures. A review of past experiences with three commercial farming models reveals the conditions that have provided the most stable environment for investors but also protected the most vulnerable in society and created the best chance for technology transfer and local economic linkages. These lessons from history have contemporary relevance.

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Keywords

Sub-Saharan Africa, Commercialisation, Commercial farming, Agriculture

Citation

Smalley, R., 2014. Large-scale Commercial Agriculture in Africa: Lessons from the Past. Cape Town: Institute for Poverty Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS)

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