“There are few better ways to show love for country and the well-being of the nation than by working on the land.”

– Nelson Mandela

Here in this article we will talk about Africa and its agricultural sector, which remained neglected for decades. Lately, African governments seem to have realized the need to promote their agriculture and create a better-skilled labor force. However, before delving into this matter, let us familiarize ours with what is involved in the agricultural sector in Africa.

About 65% of Africa’s labor force is employed in the agricultural sector; however, the sector is still underdeveloped and represents around 32% of GDP, due to low productivity. Here are some more figures for you:

• Africa has 60% of the world’s arable land
• By 2030, the agricultural sector in Africa would be worth $1 trillion
• The agricultural sector will create 16 million jobs by 2030

These figures clearly indicate the enormous potential that the sector holds. Seeing the opportunities waiting to be seized, several end-to-end training companies have entered the agricultural space. And these companies are impacting the entire agricultural value chain in Africa with their comprehensive learning solutions, including programs like agricultural sales training in Kenya that impact the productivity of agricultural agents and seed distributors. In addition to agricultural sales training, there are many more programs that have been recently designed to boost commercial agriculture in African countries.

In addition to agricultural sales training in Kenya, apprenticeship companies have also developed a number of other programs to drive development in the agricultural sector. The programs are intended to train the workforce and make it productive in different areas of the agricultural sector. Skilled labor is likely to be more productive and easier to learn. And the best thing is that they can be put to work immediately.

The governments of several African countries are introducing new policies and programs to promote the sector and create skilled labor. Governments have understood that agricultural training and education, such as agricultural sales training in Kenya, has a direct impact on agricultural productivity and the performance of ancillary business and trade. The keys to the desired growth in commercial agriculture lie in production for the market, diversification of crops and farming patterns, and the use of mobile phones/ICTs.

Agriculture has the potential to change the very economic face of Africa. Only if the governments of African countries can keep up with their pro-agriculture policies and schemes will the sector see immense growth and the creation of millions of new jobs.