What are the Most Produced Cash Crops in Africa?
Agriculture makes up nearly 20% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s economy—a higher percentage than any other region worldwide.
From Nigeria to the fertile land across the East African Rift Valley, the continent is home to 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land.
Given the massive role of agriculture across the region, this infographic from Zainab Ayodimeji shows the most produced cash crops in Africa and their share of total global production.
The Top 20 Cash Crops in Africa
Cash crops, such as coffee or rice, are crops that are produced for a salable market.
With data from the Food and Agriculture Organization Corporate Statistical Database (FAOSTAT), here are the most produced cash crops in Africa:
| Cash Crop | Tonnes Produced 2019 | % of World Production |
|---|---|---|
| Cassava | 192.1M | 63% |
| Sugar cane | 97.3M | 5% |
| Maize | 81.9M | 7% |
| Yams | 72.4M | 97% |
| Rice, paddy | 38.8M | 5% |
| Sorghum | 28.6M | 49% |
Rice, paddy (rice milled equivalent) | 25.9M | 5% |
| Sweet potatoes | 27.9M | 30% |
| Wheat | 26.9M | 4% |
| Plantains | 26.7M | 64% |
| Potatoes | 26.5M | 7% |
| Fresh vegetables | 22.0M | 7% |
| Oil palm fruit | 21.9M | 5% |
| Tomatoes | 21.7M | 12% |
| Bananas | 21.5M | 18% |
| Groundnuts, with shell | 16.6M | 34% |
| Sugar beet | 14.3M | 5% |
| Onions, dry | 13.9M | 14% |
| Millet | 13.7M | 48% |
| Oranges | 9.8M | 12% |
Cassava, also referred to as yuca, is the most produced cash crop by a wide margin. With nearly 200 million tonnes of it produced annually, Africa’s production of cassava makes up a majority (63%) of the global total.
While cassavas are not (Read more...)