ABSTRACT
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces several challenges (FAO 2005) despite considerable progress in research and outreach, and the apparent socio-economic transformation of some environments. Declining productivity, food insecurity, poverty and land degradation are still on the increase (Batjes 2001) due to a combination of technical, socio-economic, policy, environmental and market challenges (Barbier 2000). These include the inadequacy and/or lack of technical skills, unavailability of credits, weak extension services, poor infrastructure, lack of supportive policies and poor linkages to input and output markets (Buruchara et al. 2011a). Nevertheless, agriculture is still the best pro-poor option for moving people out of poverty and an important engine for economic growth and development (Thirtle et al. 2003), contributing significantly to rural livelihoods, increasing food security and ensuring sustain able natural resource management (NRM) (Pengali 2006). Linking agricultural production to industrialization in SSA can boost non-farm and urban employment and increase agricultural production.
