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Africa's agricultural sector has enormous scope for development, which would benefit both the continent's economy and its people.

Africa will thrive.

Improving Africa's farming sector would have multiple positive outcomes for African people.

Most countries in Africa have the capacity to be great agricultural producers, but they do only subsistence production. So a family will produce for themselves and nothing more. Why? Because of the systems: The markets are not there to go beyond.

Like its agriculture, Africa's markets are highly under-capitalized and inefficient. We know from our work around the continent that transaction costs of reaching the market, and the risks of transacting in rural, agriculture markets, are extremely high. In fact, only one third of agricultural output produced in Africa even reaches the market.

It is only through developing and maximizing all its natural resources that a sustainable future for Africa and its people can be secured.

Africa is a continent that provides so much for the existence of the rest of the world. We go around the world and cultivate so many things.

The factors that have been holding farmers back are similar to those that threaten other types of growth in Africa. Infrastructure and transport are in many cases quite poor, resulting in the losses of huge amounts of produce.

In a world of growing food demand, Africa is home to two-thirds of the world's unexploited arable land.

If African farmers can use improved seeds and better practices to grow more crops and get them to market, then millions of families can earn themselves a better living and a better life.