Agriculture & Forestry
From The Report: Gabon 2014
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With a tropical climate and arable land to spare, Gabon has significant potential to expand agriculture, yet the sector remains somewhat overlooked. One-fifth of the country’s total arable land has not been developed for agriculture, and the country remains largely dependent on food imports to meet its consumption requirements.

The sector has shown recent growth, roughly 5% year-on-year from 2010 to 2013, according to the World Bank. If further developed, the agriculture sector could contribute significantly to overall economic diversification and to a more inclusive pattern of economic growth. The mid-year downward revision in the 2014 budget, however, is likely to limit progress on agricultural development targets in the near term. The political will to expand the sector exists, and the potential benefits of agricultural growth are extensive, particularly for improving human development indicators and reducing poverty.

This chapter contains an interview with Jean-Luc Wilain, Chief Operating Officer – Business Development, IBL Group.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Expanding domestic production to aid economic diversification efforts and reduce food imports
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With a tropical climate and arable land to spare, Gabon has significant potential to expand agriculture, yet the sector remains largely underdeveloped. At present production is dominated by cassava and plantain, the output of which reached 300,000 tonnes and 285,000 tonnes, respectively, in 2012. The World Bank estimates that value-added agriculture contributed 4% of GDP in 2012, down from 5% in 2009. One-fifth of the country’s total arable land has not been developed for agriculture, and Gabon…

Analysis

Comparative advantages: New sector policies to enhance investment and output
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The ratification of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (Programme Détaillé pour le Développement Agricole en Afrique, PDDAA) by Gabon in May 2013 is a step towards increasing output in one of the government’s priority sectors. Introduced in 2003 by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, the PDDAA is an African Union (AU) development programme to promote investment in agriculture as a means of boosting the economy and reducing poverty across the continent. Agriculture…

Interview

OBG talks to Jean-Luc Wilain, Chief Operating Officer – Business Development, IBL Group
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Interview:Jean-Luc Wilain How can Gabon increase production in the fisheries sector and realise its full potential? JEAN-LUC WILAIN: It varies according to the segment. Industrial fishing of tuna is experiencing satisfactory volumes and should maintain its current level. Concerning small pelagic fish like sardines, fishing activities remain marginal compared to the potential estimated by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. There are promising opportunities for development in both local…

Analysis

Across the value chain: Spurring the development of downstream timber processing
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Developing the downstream timber industry is a central element of Gabon’s strategy to achieve economic diversification and long-term growth through domestic processing of its natural resources. With 85% of the country under tropical forest cover, the timber sector benefits from an extensive raw materials supply. It is also a major employer, and absorbs more of the workforce than any other sector. The industry has traditionally focused heavily on raw exports with minimal local processing. According…

Analysis

Investment drives increasing production of palm oil
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An historic staple of West and Central African agriculture, palm oil production on the continent began to decline in the 1960s as African governments prioritised oil and mineral extraction over agriculture. At the same time, the establishment of large-scale oil palm farms in Asia pushed down the price of imported palm oil products, prompting a further decline in Africa’s domestic palm oil market. Like most of its neighbours, Gabon relies on imports to meet domestic demand. Palm oil imports reached…