This book is about the journey of Dr. Akinwumi Adesina and his mission to end poverty in Africa. Growing out of poverty and witnessing hardships of being poor, he set his life mission as giving hope to millions of the poor in rural Africa. A globally respected economist with decades of experience working in some of the worlds’ leading organizations including the Rockefeller Foundation and global agricultural research centers, Dr. Adesina’s work and passion continues to guide and shape global efforts on transforming Africa’s agriculture to create wealth for its farmers. As Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, he led bold reforms that cut out corruption and helped to lift over 15 million farmers out of poverty within four years. Awarded the World Food Prize in 2017 for his work, Dr. Adesina is relentless and selfless, donating his $250,000 prize to support Africa’s youth to become global hunger fighters. As President of the African Development Bank - Africa’s premier development finance institution - Dr. Adesina is driving the Bank’s $25 billion investment to help Africa turn agriculture into wealth and achieve food security. The book is a palpable story of this man’s determination to help Africa feed itself, Against All Odds, following the footpath of his mentor, Dr. Norman Borlaug, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, the man who fed the world.

Africa requires a new agricultural transformation that is appropriate for Africa, that recognizes the continent's diverse environments and climates, and that takes into account its histories and cultures while benefiting rural smallholder farmers and their families. In this boldly optimistic book, Sir Gordon Conway, Ousmane Badiane, and Katrin Glatzel describe the key challenges faced by Africa's smallholder farmers and present the concepts and practices of Sustainable Intensification (SI) as opportunities to sustainably transform Africa's agriculture sector and the livelihoods of millions of smallholders. The way forward, they write, will be an agriculture sector deeply rooted within SI: producing more with less, using fertilizers and pesticides more prudently, adapting to climate change, improving natural capital, adopting new technologies, and building resilience at every stage of the agriculture value chain. Food for All in Africa envisions a virtuous circle generated through agricultural development rooted in SI that results in greater yields, healthier diets, improved livelihoods for farmers, and sustainable economic opportunities for the rural poor that in turn generate further investment. It describes the benefits of digital technologies for farmers and the challenges of transforming African agricultural policies and creating effective and inspiring leadership. Food for All in Africa demonstrates why we should take on the challenge and provides ideas and methods through which it can be met.

Agricultural mechanization in Africa south of the Sahara — especially for small farms and businesses — requires a new paradigm to meet the needs of the continent’s evolving farming systems. Can Asia, with its recent success in adopting mechanization, offer a model for Africa? An Evolving Paradigm of Agricultural Mechanization Development analyzes the experiences of eight Asian and five African countries. The authors explore crucial government roles in boosting and supporting mechanization, from import policies to promotion policies to public good policies. Potential approaches presented to facilitating mechanization in Africa include prioritizing market-led hiring services, eliminating distortions, and developing appropriate technologies for the African context. The role of agricultural mechanization within overall agricultural and rural transformation strategies in Africa is also discussed. The book’s recommendations and insights should be useful to national policymakers and the development community, who can adapt this knowledge to local contexts and use it as a foundation for further research.

Perspectives on Agricultural Transformation - A View From Africa