women in the development of the agricultural sector, stresEing the strong points of their contribution and the r.•ost import ant 149 E/ECA/CM.9/5 problems arising out of it. The objectives and per;:;pect ives are those defined in the Lagos Plan of Action: 1:he recommendations aimed at ~aking the agricultural labour force more effective and ensuring food self-sufficiency relate primarily to the spirit of the Lagos Plan of Action and the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development. B. Characteristics of the agricultural sector in Africa 6. The African economy is still mainly based on agriculture. Production is geared primarily to the satisfaction of immediate needs such as food. Of the total cultivated area, over half is under subsistence crops. A good share of production is consumed directly on the farm which makes it difficult to have any es­ timates of real production. 7. Agricultural procuction is increasing slowly and according to FAO over the. 1970/1980 years the growth rate will have averaged around 1.8 per cent per year whereas food production per capita has been dropping at nearly 1 -per cent per annum on average. Given the quality of statistical data in Africa, these figures should be viewed cautiously. However, even excluding exceptional phenomena such as the Sahel drought of 1972-1973, it cannot be denied that there is a real problem in agriculture as can be seen from the rapid increase in food imports. 8. Food imports have been growing continuously. In value terms they increased six f,·,ld between 1969-1971 and 1980 when they reached $8 billion as against $1.2 billion in 1969 to .1971. Moreover, among the 43 countries which the World Food Programme considers to have priority in the allocation of food aid, 26 are in Africa. 9. The mediocre performance of African agriculture is due to the 
**Analysis**
The text appears to focus on the agricultural sector in Africa, discussing its characteristics, challenges, and implications for food production and imports. It also references international organizations and development plans, such as the Lagos Plan of Action and the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development. Given the specific topics and themes presented, it seems likely that the text is primarily concerned with economic development and the agricultural sector.

**Category**
Agriculture, forestry and fishing, Economic development