―malnourished‖.186 President Museveni sees strategic investments for modernization of this sector as a key prerequisite to transform agriculture into ―a springboard for socio-economic transformation for Africa.‖ The President proposes that the APRM ―should check what progress is being made in universal commercialization of agriculture (small, medium and large scale).‖187 This section is related to Bottlenecks no. 2 (interference with the private sector), no. 4 (fragmented markets, market access and expansion), no. 5 ―lack of industrialisation and low value addition) no. 7 (under-development of human resources) and no. 9 (under-development of the services centre). less affluent societies greater policy space to stimulate their agricultural sectors. Agenda 2063 sees a modernised system of agriculture, supported by scientific research and forming part of regional and global agricultural value chains, as part of the strategy for the continent‘s prosperity. 188 Much of Africa‘s agriculture is essentially small-scale and subsistence in nature. In some instances – like Nigeria – agriculture has simply been ignored.189 On the other hand, as the Algeria CRR comments, there is now rising interest in the sector.190 The Burkina Faso CRR points to a key difficulty, which is the relatively small amount of value-addition taking place in the sector, and the need to move toward greater beneficiation.191 What the APRM does about underdevelopment of agriculture The potential of agriculture to be a driver of economic development in Africa is widely recognised. Africa possesses a considerable comparative advantage in agriculture relative to other regions. Some 60% of the world‘s uncultivated land is in Africa. Demands for agricultural products both on the continent and internationally present an excellent opportunity for African producers, provided the environment is conducive.192 However, for agriculture to emerge as a significant developmental driver, it will itself need to transform first. As part of the NEPAD initiative, the AU has established the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), a broad framework that aims to foster growth and innovation in the agricultural sector. Over time, this is hoped to spur increased output, more efficient production processes, employment, food security and environmental protection.193 Under the 2014 Malabo Declaration, the AU Assembly has taken CAADP a significant step further by, among others, undertaking to end hunger in Africa by 2025 through the doubling of current agricultural productivity levels by that year.194 Similar themes have been taken up by other bodies and analysts.195 The APRM deals with agriculture in the EGM thematic area under Objective 1 on design and implementation of economic policies for sustainable development, where Question 2 asks: ―What sectoral economic policies has your country developed and implemented to promote economic growth and sustainable development in the past 510 years and what has been their effectiveness?‖ A few of the standards deal with agricultural development. These are:     OAU, The New Partnership for Africa‘s Development (NEPAD) (2001) OAU, Solemn Declaration, Conference on Security, Stability, Development and Cooperation in Africa (2000, Lomé, Togo) OAU, Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community (1991, Abuja, Nigeria) UN, World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development (2002, Johannesburg, South Africa) The CRRs differ in emphasis as to the dominant issues affecting agriculture, but they are numerous. The Kenya The standards recognise the importance of farming to Africa and aim to facilitate the development of a modern high productivity agricultural sector. They pledge support in the form of research, infrastructure and improved land tenure security. They also aim to enhance cooperation on agricultural policies and practices among African countries. The Johannesburg Declaration in particular raises a key issue about the competitiveness of African agricultural products on the world market due to subsidies paid to producers and exporters from developed countries. The Declaration calls for the elimination of these subsidies in developed countries, while allowing 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 AfDB, OECD, and UNDP (2017), p. 115 Discussion Paper, p. 9. 44 Agenda 2063, pp. 7-8. Nigeria CRR, p. 153. Algeria CRR, p. 130. Burkina Faso CRR, p. 189. Bisseker C, „Africa‟s farms could feed the world‟, Financial Mail (8 May 2014). See NEPAD, Agriculture in Africa: Transformation and Outlook (Midrand, 2013). See AU, Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods, Doc. Assembly/AU/2(XXIII), Assembly/AU/Decl.1(XXIII). See e.g., KPMG, Agriculture in Africa (KPMG Africa, 2013).