Интегрированный агропромышленный парк как перспективная модель развития сельского хозяйства Африки

Abstract

Integrated agro-industrial parks (IAIP) – is a new economic model, driven by the need to facilitate modernization and advancement of agriculture and to help developing countries carry out the structural transformation of the industry and commercialize it. In Africa, the first country to start implementing IAIP was Ethiopia, which already had experience at that time in the construction of industrial parks specializing in the production of manufactured goods. Ethiopia faces problems common in Africa’s agriculture: unequal incomes of rural and urban residents, high unemployment and poverty, low food security, underdeveloped agricultural infrastructure, limited opportunities for small farmers to centrally and profitably deliver their products with minimal losses, etc. All these problems can be solved through the introduction of IAIP. Ethiopia has also set itself the goal of competing in the increasingly globalized agribusiness market and needs to provide an enabling environment for the establishment and growth of agribusiness firms. In 2016, the country hosted the first International Agro-Industry Investment Forum, where investment projects of 4 startups were presented. Three of them were opened in February, March and May 2021 and focused on the production, sorting, processing, acquiring and other activities related to adding value to agricultural raw materials. The goals of creating IAIPs were not only to increase the production of agricultural products and enhance food security, but also to expand the volume and range of exported products, as well as to increase the production of agricultural products with added value. Several other African countries were inspired by the example of Ethiopia, and now the discussion of the possibility of establishing an IAIP is underway as part of the creation of a common agro-industrial park in Zambia and Zimbabwe.