Coatings World - September 2015

Africa

by Shem Oirere Africa Correspondent

Africa’s seed coatings materials market, although representing a small portion of the more than $900 million global share, could be in for more growth as governments in the continent invest more in agriculture and embrace new production methods to enhance food security and reduce poverty levels.

Analysts predict a healthy growth in the seed coatings materials market driven mainly by the increasing demand for agricultural products globally, including Africa where the population is projected to increase from the current one billion people to two billion people by 2050.

Although Africa’s consumption of seed coatings
materials such as binder, polymers, colorants and
other additives, is still considered low compared to
markets such as North America, the surge in de-
mand for quality cereals and grains, oil seeds, fruits
and vegetables has created opportunities for coat-
ing of these crops’ seeds with fertilizers, nutritional
elements, moisture attractive and repulsive agents
and plant regulators according to market analysts.

Seed production among sixteen African countries that are active in the market also grew from 2,346 metric tons in 2007 to 80,606 metric tons, an indication of increasing demand for quality farm-inputs in the region.

According to the African Development Bank
(AfDB) “Africa’s agriculture given a favorable
environment, holds great promise and potential
for lifting the vast majority of the continent’s
population, which is predominantly rural,
out of poverty and for stimulating long-term
growth and development.”
Governments in Africa have pledged to in-
crease investments in agriculture by allocating at
least 10 percent of their public expenditure to the
sector. Currently, the continent’s expenditures
have risen by over 7 percent annually across the
continent, with some low income countries re-
porting expenditures of 12 percent.

“The future demand for agriculture production will be immensely larger than it is at present considering the expected consumption change and income growth,” said the bank.