Rainfed Food Crops in West and Central Africa

The rise in world agricultural prices in 2008 revealed the fragility of food security in many developing countries. Poor populations in sub-Saharan Africa are the biggest victims of this fragility. Rainfed food crops can play a unique role on the continent by supplying regional markets, increasing farmers' incomes, and creating jobs in rural areas. Working within the framework of the regional dynamics launched in West and Central Africa, AFD, CIRAD and IFAD initiated three studies to (i) map the food crop production and consumption areas in the zone, (ii) identify the contributions of research on these supply chains, and (iii) analyze food crop project practices. This book summarizes this research, accomplished with African research and regional expertise centers (AGRHYMET, WECARD). It reports on current knowledge of the main food crop supply chains in the region: rice, corn, cassava, millet-sorghum, yam, groundnut and cowpea. Other areas remain to be explored to strengthen existing dynamics: how can intermediation professions be supported? How can a regional approach to these supply chains be developed so as to disseminate best practices, expand markets and foster synergy? What role in supporting these supply chains could be (re)assigned to research? How can the financing constraint, which is present throughout the supply chain, be overcome? This book aims to provide keys to decipher supply chain operations and the challenges facing food crop supply chains in this region.