Agriculture for Conservation

A recent meeting with the Grow Africa team at the World Economic Forum brought home the urgent need to find sustainable pathways for feeding a growing global population while not mortgaging the earth. Africa is eyed for filling the gap, with low average yields per hectare, limited infrastructure, and (by some accounts) abundant 'unused' land. 

Clearly we know that land in Africa never goes 'unused'…though, it is true, it may not be tilled or cultivated. Nor should all of the arable land in Africa be cultivated. There are places that need conserving—for wildlife and for people—because wetlands and forests and grasslands provide vital ecosystem services that we all depend on. 

Where agriculture does take place, though, it should be productive and vibrant. AWF is working in places like the Southern Tanzania Agriculture Growth Corridor (SAGCOT) to  combine land and resource planning, enterprise development, and education and capacity support to create sustainable and productive landscapes for people and wildlife. By engaging in the transformation of African agriculture, we are helping to conserve the healthy ecosystems needed to safeguard soils, cycle nutrients, retain and cycle water, and regulate local climates. And we are doing it in ways that support productive agriculture that nourishes families, provides revenues for households, and creates pathways out of poverty.