South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya have the highest potential for exporting food crops
As now with the famine in the Horn of Africa we might forget what great potential Africa has for agribusiness.
South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya have the highest potential for exporting food crops. A survey conducted by Africa Business Panel among 800 business professionals involved with Africa shows that these 3 countries were earmarked as the continent’s favourites when it comes to the future of exporting food crops.
Ghana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zambia, Egypt, Uganda and Congo Kinshasa re the runners up and complete the top ten countries out of 54 economies on the African continent.
Virtually all African economies show promising year-on-year growth. This is attracting the attention of the international investor community who increasingly see Africa as ‘the last frontier’ for attractive growth opportunities. Research and numerous survey results among the international investor community consistently indicate that investors expect over half of the ten fastest growing economies in the world in 2011 to be African.
The Africa Business Panel has published a month-on-month Africa Business Confidence Index since January 2011. The index results for Africa based on surveys of 800 business professionals from more than 30 countries on the continent consistently show growth. Calculations are based on the purchase managers index methodology used globally. The outcome of the business confidence index for the African continent is consistent with the trust of the international investor community. The manufacturing business confidence index for August is 52.4 and for non-manufacturing 55.3 for the same month. Any number over 50 indicated growth.
The top-10 countries in Africa - Export Potential Food Crops
1. South Africa
2. Nigeria
3. Kenya
4. Ghana
5. Zimbabwe
6. Tanzania
7. Zambia
8. Egypt
9. Uganda
10. Congo Kinshasa
Enefiok Peter, Owner at Edem Peters & Company, Nigeria: "Historically, Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire are major rice producers (though not sufficient to meet local demand). They are in the Dryland rice ecosystem. This is the most extensive rice ecosystem in Africa, and has a great influence on the total rice output. If concerted efforts are made by government of these countries, or by investors, significant increase in output can be achieved. Egypt use the irrigated ecosystem, which provides the best conditions for rice cultivation because of the better control of water compared with other ecologies. However, the political environment in North Africa may hinder increase in farming activities."
Wachira Kaguongo, CEO at National Potato Council of Kenya, Kenya: "South Africa is well mechanized and has big farms, good infrastructure and advanced technologies. Egypt has good irrigation infrastructure and advanced technologies. Kenya has good climate, a mass of potentially irrigateable land served by very big rivers and lakes and the promising upcoming communication and irrigation infrastructures."
Bridget Obi, Executive Director at Children of the Farmers Club, Nigeria: "Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana have the land mass, favorable climate, manpower and resources if only they can make agriculture their main focus. There has to be a process in place that provide micro credit/ buy back mechanism to motivate small holder farmers to increase production by using improved seeds/inputs and increasing farm size. Until farmers are treated as the most important segment of society African countries will continue to depend on imports as the educated ones will not suffer as their parents who worked all their lives without pension, health care and education plan from their governments. If farmers in Nigerian for example could go to strike in a season as civil servants do for increased wages, that is when humanity will fill their impart and contribution to our daily survival."
Adang Daniel Simon, Chief Custodian at Entrepreneur Hotline Associates, Nigeria: "Nigeria always has potential in agriculture - arable land, water for all year round farming, less susceptible to extreme weather conditions, stable governance, etc. What is needed is integrated and pragmatic policies that leapfrog on technology. South Africa is an African economic powerhouse with exceptional leadership, increasing DFI and stable government. Its potential in agriculture is superb. Zimbabwe is recovering well and has a good history of commercial agriculture ahead of its neighbours."
About Africa Business Panel
Africa Business Panel (ABP) is a joint initiative of Africa Business Communities (www.africabusinesscommunities.com), a fast-growing network of African entrepreneurs and business professionals, and NarrowMinds (www.narrowminds.com), a leading architect of online market research and loyalty programs.
Africa Business Panel generates reliable indices on business developments and economic outlook in Africa. In doing so, Africa Business Panel wishes to contribute to the continent’s business reputation and produce in-depth market research data for governments, the business community and international organizations. Africa Business Panel provides intelligent matches for African business professionals with the rest of the world which results in promising business opportunities.
Join the Panel
Business professionals based in Africa are invited to join the Africa Business Panel. As a member of the Panel your insights and opinions directly contribute to the Africa Business Confidence Index. Panel members benefit by participating: the outcome of the survey results are shared with Panel members directly and in greater detail than with non-members.
All surveys are permission based, allowing you to decide when and to what degree you wish to participate. Your personal details are treated strictly confidential by the Africa Business Panel. No personal information is ever published or sold to third parties. If you qualify, please go to www.africabusinesspanel.com and click on Register and shine your light on the business climate in Africa.
For more information:
Africa Business Panel/NarrowMinds
Martin de Koning
+31 655 82 24 09
Van Heenvlietlaan 220
1083 CN Amsterdam
The Netherlands