For the past 60 years, the population of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has grown by 11 million people per year. The World Bank estimates that this region could be home to more than 2.7 billion people by 2060.
This rapid growth presents both challenges and opportunities.
Clearly, from a perspective of food security, the challenges are evident. Many changes need to occur in order to reduce rates of hunger, malnutrition, and poverty, and elevate the capacity of SSA’s food systems to produce enough to feed the growing population, as well as provide the region with entry into global markets as exporters and suppliers. The good news is that these changes are already underway through the work we are doing at the World Food Bank. Â
Which is where the opportunities come in. With the right supports, SSA can create jobs and leverage for its growing population to drive forward and expand its burgeoning agricultural industry so that the region becomes a major player in the global markets.
Many experts agree that improvements to technology and infrastructure have led Africa to the cusp of an economic revolution, which is primed for investment and which has in many respects already begun. For example, in the mid-aughts, investments in African businesses showed rates of returns two-thirds higher than those of their counterparts in China, India, or Indonesia, according to McKinsey.
This is not to look past the hardships currently facing the continent and the people who live there – many who struggle to meet their basic needs. Our vision is to work alongside communities, governments, private companies, and NGOs to realize a path to end hunger and lift family farmers from poverty, creating sustainable, market-driven solutions for these issues that provide tremendous benefits for all parties – from farmers to investors. Â
Read more about our vision, and stay tuned for more news about our latest initiative, The Zero Hunger Formula.