Sustainable Agricultural Systems in Tropical Africa
B. N. Okigbo
Abstract
A sustainable agricultural production system is a dynamically stable and continuous production system that achieves a level of productivity satisfying prevailing needs and is adapted continuously to meet future pressing demands for increasing the carrying capacity of the resource base. Agricultural production is a bioeconomic activity with complex implications related to the physicochemical, biological, technological, managerial, and socioeconomic elements. A major problem in sustainable agricultural production in tropical Africa is that Africa is a continent in crisis. This crisis stems from the inability to produce enough food; per-capita food production is lower than two decades ago. Much of Africa lies within the tropics; with the exception of the highland areas, mean annual temperatures even during the coldest months exceed 18°C. The vegetation in different parts of Africa reflects the prevailing rainfall regimes. Several physical, chemical, biological, and socioeconomic constraints affect sustainability of agricultural production in the various ecological zones of Africa.