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Volume 10
Issue 3
10.3390/land10030332
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Review

A Systematic Review of Drivers and Constraints on Agricultural Expansion in Sub-Saharan Africa

by
Nugun P. Jellason
1,*,
Elizabeth J. Z. Robinson
1,
Abbie S. A. Chapman
2,
Dora Neina
3,
Adam J. M. Devenish
4,
June Y. T. Po
5 and
Barbara Adolph
6
1
School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Earley Gate, P.O. Box 237, Reading RG6 6AR, UK
2
Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
3
Department of Soil Science, School of Agriculture, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 25 Legon, Accra, Ghana
4
Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
5
Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4TB, UK
6
International Institute for Environment and Development, 235 High Holborn, Holborn, London WC1V 7LE, UK
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Land 2021, 10(3), 332; https://doi.org/10.3390/land10030332
Submission received: 11 February 2021 / Revised: 18 March 2021 / Accepted: 19 March 2021 / Published: 23 March 2021
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Abstract

Understanding the dynamics of agricultural expansion, their drivers, and interactions is critical for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem-services provision, and the future sustainability of agricultural development in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, there is limited understanding of the drivers of agricultural expansion. A systematic review of the drivers of agricultural expansion was conducted from 1970 to 2020 using Web of Science, Elsevier Scopus and Google Scholar. Two researchers reviewed the papers separately based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Fifteen papers were included in the final systematic review. The paper proposed expansion pathways in a conceptual framework and identified proximate and underlying drivers. Population dynamics and government policies were found to be key underlying drivers of agricultural expansion. The proximate drivers include economic opportunities such as agriculture mechanisation and cash crops production, and more troubling trends such as soil fertility decline and climate change and variability. This paper further explores the constraints that have been found to slow down agricultural expansion, including strong land institutions and good governance.
Keywords: agricultural expansion; drivers; Sub-Saharan Africa; conservation; constraints agricultural expansion; drivers; Sub-Saharan Africa; conservation; constraints

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MDPI and ACS Style

Jellason, N.P.; Robinson, E.J.Z.; Chapman, A.S.A.; Neina, D.; Devenish, A.J.M.; Po, J.Y.T.; Adolph, B. A Systematic Review of Drivers and Constraints on Agricultural Expansion in Sub-Saharan Africa. Land 2021, 10, 332. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10030332

AMA Style

Jellason NP, Robinson EJZ, Chapman ASA, Neina D, Devenish AJM, Po JYT, Adolph B. A Systematic Review of Drivers and Constraints on Agricultural Expansion in Sub-Saharan Africa. Land. 2021; 10(3):332. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10030332

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jellason, Nugun P., Elizabeth J. Z. Robinson, Abbie S. A. Chapman, Dora Neina, Adam J. M. Devenish, June Y. T. Po, and Barbara Adolph. 2021. "A Systematic Review of Drivers and Constraints on Agricultural Expansion in Sub-Saharan Africa" Land 10, no. 3: 332. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10030332

APA Style

Jellason, N. P., Robinson, E. J. Z., Chapman, A. S. A., Neina, D., Devenish, A. J. M., Po, J. Y. T., & Adolph, B. (2021). A Systematic Review of Drivers and Constraints on Agricultural Expansion in Sub-Saharan Africa. Land, 10(3), 332. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10030332

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