Chapter 3. Analytical review of national investment strategies and agricultural policies in West Africa 89
implementation involves and requires the commitment of governments, the private sector, farmer
organizations, civil society and technical and financial partners.Therefore the methodology of this study consisted in:
a. analysing the characteristics of the West African agricultural sector, focusing on issues relating to
production, as well as marketing of different products, be it locally, regionally and internationally.
b. critically reviewing national agricultural policies and mapping key aspects of national policies for
agricultural investments that have been adopted as part of the implementation of ECOWAP /
CAADP in West Africa.
c. critically analysing policy instruments that these plans incorporate and their ability to remove
bottlenecks for small producers by improving productivity and the competitiveness of their
products and market access.
d. analysing the dynamics of peasant organizations (POs) around the agricultural sectors, why some
have been successful and what are the causes of some unfortunate experiences.
e. suggesting alternative strategies that enhance and promote investment in the agricultural sector.
These proposals also incorporate a set of recommendations for specific public actions to better
promote private sector involvement in the financing and especially to improve the synergy between
the actions of peasant Organizations and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
1.4 The study’s limitations
The simple fact that this is a literature review means that it does not necessarily allow for a correct and
complete reading of the effects of policies on agricultural development or of their impact on structuring
producer organizations.
Some West African countries have not yet finalized their new investment plan in the ECOWAP / CAADP
process. The agricultural powerhouse of the Region, Côte d’Ivoire has yet to complete its agricultural
investment plan.
Initiatives to promote commodity sectors are numerous and include a wide range of strategies. In the
context of this work, it is almost impossible to list them all and to judge their relevance. This analysis seeks
to rely on a number of experiences that remarkably helped structure farmer organizations both locally
- rice in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Senegal, onions in Senegal and to a lesser extent in Niger, potato in
Guinea and cotton and the livestock sector at the regional level.
- Retrospective analysis of the West African agricultural sector –
constraints and development strategies
Several prevailing agricultural products, some of which were firmly established at the international
level, characterize West African agriculture. West Africa remains the leading world producer of cocoa
from Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria and of yams and cassava from Nigeria. It provides more than 75
percent of the world production of cowpea. Rubber production in Liberia, Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire is
starting to be significant. However, the Region remains a very small player in cereal production (millet,
sorghum, maize, rice) for which it does not even contribute one percent of world supply.