ABSTRACT Agricultural production in sub-Saharan Africa has, in recent times, remained lower than the rest of the world. Many attribute this to factors inherent to Africa and its people, such as climate, soil quality, slavery and disease. This article traces the role of agriculture through history and argues that these are not the main reasons. Before the arrival of European traders, complex agricultural systems existed, which supported food security, manufacturing and trade. External interference manipulated these systems in pursuit of export crops. Independence has not fundamentally changed this; resource and wealth extraction continue to inhibit economic development for Africans in Africa.

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为什么撒哈拉以南非洲的农业产量与世界其他地区相比仍然很低——历史视角

摘要 近年来，撒哈拉以南非洲的农业产量一直低于世界其他地区。许多人将此归因于非洲及其人民固有的因素，例如气候、土壤质量、奴隶制和疾病。本文通过历史追溯了农业的作用，并认为这些不是主要原因。在欧洲贸易商到来之前，已经存在复杂的农业系统，支持粮食安全、制造和贸易。外部干扰操纵这些系统以追求出口作物。独立并没有从根本上改变这一点；资源和财富的开采继续阻碍非洲人在非洲的经济发展。