• Africa is currently not on track toward achieving the first Millennium Development (MDG1) of halving poverty and hunger by 2015
• Between 1990 and 2004, poverty rates actually increased in 10 African countries
• The continent as a whole will need to grow an annual agricultural growth rate of 7.5 percent to achieve MDG1
• However, with agricultural growth rates of 6 percent or less, 10 African countries would be able to reach MDG1 by 2015:
  • Burkina Faso
  • Cameroon
  • Ethiopia
  • Ghana
  • Mali
  • Mauritania
  • Mozambique
  • Nigeria
  • Tanzania
  • Uganda
• The West African region will need to reduce poverty by 5.2 percent annually - at current agricultural and nonagricultural growth rates, this will occur in 2020
• West Africa could achieve MDG1 by 2015 if the region’s agricultural sector grew at 6.8 percent annually

This section highlights conclusions from Fan, S., et al. 2008. ReSAKSS Working Paper No. 25 and Johnson, M., et al. 2008. ReSAKSS Working Paper No. 22.