MRS. Seynabou Thiam, 45, a Senegalese mother of five, lives in Dakar, the capital of Senegal. Each day, she walks to her local market to buy ingredients, including rice, for her children’s favorite dish, tiébou dienn. But because Senegal is a net importer of rice, the prices are unstable, and Seynabou constantly worries about how she will feed her family. Every day, millions of Senegalese people like Seynabou buy rice, the staple they depend on for food security. Though 2011 is projected to be a record harvest in the country, it will still only account for 60% of domestic demand. This critical shortfall leaves average Senegalese people vulnerable to global price fluctuations and household food insecurity.
小麦和玉米等农产品的高价格预示着一场新的国际粮食危机，它提醒我们数百万非洲家庭每天都面临着粮食不安全的可怕现实。虽然绝大多数非洲人生活在农村地区，但越来越多的人正在搬到城市地区。他们不再自己种植食物，而是每天采购。与塞内加尔一样，许多非洲国家都是主要农作物的净进口国，数百万人发现自己受到国际农产品价格剧烈波动的摆布。
增加全球粮食供应是保持稳定的关键部分
Higher agricultural productivity will help reduce Africa’s vulnerability to uncontrollable externalities like the high cost of sea freight, volatile oil prices, poor harvests elsewhere and low levels of international stock. In turn, refusing to prioritize agricultural productivity opens the door for social, economic and political instability not only on the African continent but worldwide. In 2008, numerous countries faced unrest when food commodities reached record prices. Just last fall, Mozambique dealt with serious civil conflict following a 30% spike in the price of bread. Many African countries would surely see similar issues should prices continue to climb. Promoting a strong agricultural sector is not just crucial for the economy but also for sustainable political and social stability, both in Africa and throughout the world.
因此，我们必须扪心自问：我们如何才能稳定这种潜在的动荡局面？我们如何才能将数百万小农从自给自足的农业思维模式转变为现代商业农业系统？非洲农民如何以较低的生产成本生产剩余产品，以供应当地市场，甚至最终供应区域市场？
投资农村企业以提高农民的生产力和粮食安全
为了实现重大和可持续的变化并满足全球对更多粮食的需求，非洲农民必须能够获得改良的农业投入品，如种子、化肥和作物保护产品、服务，以及新的和更有利可图的市场。数以百万计的农民分布在广阔的地区，获得投入、信息、交通设施、信贷等的机会有限，是高效农业系统的最大障碍之一。
One solution is the development of a network of input suppliers, called agrodealers, village-level “one-stop-shop” enterprises that allow farmers convenient access to improved inputs and technologies, technical training, market information and output marketing opportunities. Agrodealers play an ever-increasing role in the development of agricultural productivity in Africa. By developing business relationships with smallholder farmers, they work toward a win-win solution in which farmers gain access to the factors of production and markets for their crops. Private agrodealers also offer indispensable advice to smallholder farmers about the use of improved agricultural inputs and techniques. In many countries, such as Kenya, Tanzania, Mali, Ghana and Malawi, demonstration plots and farmer field days organized and even facilitated by agrodealers have been used to boost awareness of agricultural best practices, leading to a sizable increase in productivity. For example, smallholder farmers in the Morogoro region of Tanzania almost doubled their maize yield in only three years thanks to the arrival of agrodealers in their neighborhoods.
In Malawi, agrodealer Dinnah Kapiza knows the value of her business. With four shops, she is able to serve over 2,000 smallholder farmers who previously had little access to the products she sells. “I wanted to become an agrodealer after seeing that most farmers were unable to access farm supplies,” she said. “Now, customers come for help whenever they have questions concerning a crop or crop failure, and I have to explain how it works. They come when the rains fail, or when some pests eat their crops.” From an initial investment of $300, she now sees annual sales that top $190,000.
农产品经销商还参与增值活动，如谷物碾磨、植物油提取、聚合等，为当地社区乃至整个国家创造就业机会和创造财富。例如，Kapiza 夫人为她的客户提供仓储和运输服务，使他们免于扼杀小农盈利能力的农场交货价。
促进农村创业和非洲成功与稳定的路线图算不上革命性的。事实上，北美和欧洲的农业产业之所以繁荣，很大程度上是因为农业合作社、机械经销商、农产品经销商、加工商等众多支持企业的距离很近。这些农村企业往往是强大而充满活力的农村社区的支柱。非洲绿色革命需要同样强大的私营部门在竞争激烈的环境中运作，才能成功地为农民提供投入和服务，从而提高生产力和收入。
一些统计数据不言而喻。非洲农民每公顷使用大约 9 公斤肥料，而拉丁美洲的农民使用 86 公斤，东南亚的农民使用 142 公斤。改良的种子品种使产量增加了 80%。与此同时，非洲农场的产量仅为全球平均水平的 10%。很明显，需要改变。改进投入的价值有据可查。我们需要改变的是交付系统。
前进的道路
事实很清楚。预计的人口增长和当前的粮食危机是一个危险的组合。为了让 Seynabou Thiam 能够继续步行到她在达喀尔的市场以负担得起的价格购买大米并养家糊口，农村农业部门必须崛起以满足需求。通过投资农产品经销商商店等私营部门企业，我们可以实现两个目标。首先，我们确保小农能够可靠地获得改进的产品和服务，从而提高农场生产力和盈利能力，从而满足不断增长的需求。但我们也支持建立农村企业网络，以创造就业机会、传播财富并支持充满活力的社区。国际捐助者、非政府组织和地方政府必须共同努力，为真正的私营部门对农业部门的投资创造一个受欢迎的环境，这将刺激长期增长并支持农村发展。