1. Is African Agriculture Sustainable Enough to Support an Agro-Allied Industrial Development Strategy?
Steve Onyeiwu, Eric Pallant, Meredith Hanlon
Departments of Economics, Environmental Science, and Biology
Allegheny College, Meadville, PA USA

2. RATIONALE AND MOTIVATION FOR PAPER
The last 50 years in West Africa:
Environmental Degradation +
Economic Decisions + Climate Change =
Unsustainable Farming Systems

3. CONCEPTUALIZING SUSTAINABILITY
Economists overlook the environment and environmentalists, the economy
Environment
Economics: ability to generate & sustain output levels that support a decent living standard in ways that are both equitable & protective of natural and human capital.
Equity: perceived in terms of whether a given agricultural system has narrowed or accentuated the inequality between farmers & other sectors of the economy.
Environment: deals with the management of carbon, nitrogen, and water. Agriculture must be at the bare minimum carbon neutral, and transfer carbon from the atmosphere to the biosphere and geosphere.
Sustainability
Equity
Economy

4. Environmental Transformation
Precipitation changes
Longer dry seasons, more intense rainfalls

5. Deforestation

6. Declining Soil Quality
Low Fertilizer use

7. Untreated Human Waste = Nitrogen Loss, Nitrogen Cycle
Facilitates the spread of disease
Contaminates potable water
Nitrogen-rich sewage could be used to replenish soils

8. Short Crop Rotations
Shorter fallow periods lead to nutrient depletion and the need to burn and clear more land

9. Arable Land As a Percent of Land Area
Regardless of this increase, agricultural value added has been decreasing rapidly in Nigeria and steadily in Ghana

10. GDP Per Capita
Lack of growth in Ghana and Nigeria as compared to other developing countries

11. DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, 1960s – 1970s
Urban investment and industrialization
Fewer people needed to farm
Rural to urban migration and overcrowding
Government lowers prices of goods to be competitive on international market
Decrease in farmer’s profit

12. Structural Adjustment Programs
SAP implemented to fix pricing problems
Trade & Product Markets liberalization
Removal of subsidies
Devaluation
Privatization
Reduction or elimination of budget deficits
Firms: reduce X-inefficiency, eliminate wastes, and raise productivity
All had a negative impact on rural development

13. CASE STUDY OF UNSUSTAINABILITY: THE VILLAGE OF UMULUWE IN SOUTHEASTERN NIGERIA
Population: 6500
Average Income: $150
Main Occupations: Subsistence Farming, Petty Trading, Palm-Wine Tapping & Palm-Oil Processing

14. POVERTY PROFILE OF UMULUWE

16. Similar rural poverty in Ghana
Massive charcoal production to supply urban areas is leading to deforestation and land degradation

17. THE EBENEZER FARM: AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE “AGRO-ENTREPRENEURIAL” MODEL

18. Ebenezer Farms Non-Traditional Animal Production

19. River Management and Fish Production

20. Food Production and Nutrient Recycling

21. “AGRO-ENTREPRENEURIAL” MODEL
Investors
Government
Donors
Venture Capitalists
Green Entrepreneurial Volunteers or Experts
Agro-Entrepreneurial Financial Institutions
Sustainable Farmers and Villages
Sustainable Extension Officers
income
The Market
Organic Market
Restaurants
Eco-Tourism

22. CONCLUSION
Agricultural Unsustainability Has Environmental, Economic & Equity Dimensions
Paper Proposes an “Agro-Entrepreneurial Model” of Sustainability that Combines Sustainable Farming Practices with Entrepreneurship.