African Union advises members to invest in agriculture
"Most of the countries that have developed first focused and modernized their agriculture," said Ms Tumusiime.
"If you develop agriculture first, it will become a springboard for growth of other sectors and the economy in general," she said.
Agriculture in Africa has been growing by around 4 per cent annually over the past few years. The rate was envisaged to rise to least 6 per cent per annum, absorbing one third of the unemployed people on the continent, as indicated in the 2003 Maputo Protocol.
The agriculture sector in Africa produces around 23 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product, accounting for 50 per cent of the country's exports. The industry also employs an estimated 70 percent of the population.
Evidence suggests GDP growth from agriculture is twice as effective in reducing poverty as GDP growth linked to non-agricultural sectors.
source: allafrica.com
