Paper short abstract:

This study investigates African agriculture's multifunctionality based on economic, social, and environmental dimensions using the AMAI and k-means clustering. Findings identify four groups, offering insights for sustainable development, tailored policies, and Korea-Africa collaboration.

Paper long abstract:

The compounding challenges of polycrisis—including climate change, conflicts, energy crises, and political instability—are intensifying, transcending borders, and impacting nations globally. These crises, encompassing socio-economic inequalities and food insecurity, demand holistic and adaptive approaches to sustainable development. Agriculture, while traditionally viewed as a source of food production, also fulfills multifunctional roles across economic, social, and environmental dimensions. This study evaluates the multifunctionality of African agriculture across three dimensions: the economic dimension, focusing on food security, rural economy, and agricultural R&D; the social dimension, emphasizing rural population, cultural values, infrastructure, and women and youth; and the environmental dimension, addressing sustainability, biodiversity, and climate change adaptation. Utilizing expert assessments, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was employed to prioritize these dimensions—economic (0.497), environmental (0.303), and social (0.194). Based on these priorities, the African Multifunctional Agriculture Index (AMAI) was developed to assess 54 African countries between 2016 and 2020. Using AMAI scores, k-means clustering identified four distinct groups: Social Resilience Prioritizers, Ecological Sustainability Improvers, Balanced Development Seekers, and Capacity Development Challengers. Each cluster highlights unique capacities and priorities for addressing interconnected agricultural crises, without implying a hierarchy among them. These findings provide a robust framework for tailoring policy recommendations and development strategies that emphasize economic resilience, social equity, and environmental sustainability. This study further offers critical insights for designing inclusive and systematic rural development strategies, particularly for advancing Korea-Africa collaboration and fostering adaptive responses to the polycrisis.