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Figure 30: An increasing number of countries are leasing land abroad to sustain and secure their food production.

Data are preliminary only. (Source: GRAIN, 2008; Mongabay 2008).

Asia. Nowadays, Africa is especially dependent on food imports.

Food production in this region is lagging behind due to limited

research investments and the problems for farmers to use the

appropriate inputs in their production process.

RESEARCH INVESTMENTS

The world regions are sharply divided in terms of their capacity

to use science in promoting agricultural productivity in order

to achieve food security and reduce poverty and hunger. For ev-

ery US$100 of agricultural output, developed countries spend

US$2.16 on public agricultural research and development

(R&D), whereas developing countries spend only US$0.55 (IF-

PRI, 2008). Total agricultural R&D spending in developing

countries increased from US$3.7 billion (1991) to US$4.4 bil-

lion (2000), or by 1.6% annually (IFPRI, 2008). This spending

was largely driven by Asia, where annual spending increased by

3.3 percent. Today, Asia accounts for 42% of total agricultural

R&D spending in developing countries (with China and India

accounting for 18 and 10%, respectively). In Africa, agricultural

R&D expenditure declined slightly, by 0.4%/year. Although Af-

rica is geographically large, its share in R&D spending is only

13%. Latin America accounts for 33% (with Brazil being respon-

sible for 48% of the region’s spending).

Productivity has risen in many developing countries, mainly as

a result of investment in agricultural R&D combined with im-

proved human capital and rural infrastructure. In East Asia, land

productivity increased from US$1,485/ha in 1992 to US$2,129/

ha in 2006, while labour productivity rose from US$510 to

US$822/worker. In Africa, the levels of productivity are much

lower and their growth has also been slower. In 1992, land pro-

ductivity in Sub-Saharan Africa was only 79% of that in East Asia;

by 2006 this gap of 21% had increased to 59% (IFPRI, 2008).

RESOURCES FOR FERTILIZER USE

One of the major options for significantly raising crop pro-

duction is increasing the use of mineral fertilizers. The Africa

Fertilizer Summit 2006 concluded that the use of fertilizers

should be increased to a level of at least 50 kg/ha by 2015.

The present use of fertilizers in Sub-Saharan Africa is only