On the Structural Transformation of Rural Africa

From 2000 to 2014, per capita GDP in sub-Saharan Africa increased by almost 35% in real terms, doubling in some countries. Such progress has happened while agricultural productivity growth remained low in the aggregate, despite some bright spots, and poverty reduction has been steady but discouragingly slow. This paper argues that ending extreme poverty will require structural change in agriculture and in rural African economies more broadly. Drawing on a range of recent research, this paper outlines broad priority areas for policy actions to accelerate productivity and initiate structural change in the agriculture sector and the rural non-farm economy.