Natural and anthropogenic factors associated with agricultural productivity in selected Sub-Saharan African countries: The role of water resources

This study examines the impact of selected natural and anthropogenic factors on agricultural productivity in 19 Sub-Saharan African countries over the period 1990–2020, using panel data from the FAOSTAT database. Agricultural productivity is measured as kilocalories produced per hectare of agricultural land. The explanatory variables include fertilizer use, agricultural water withdrawal, water stress, population, and agricultural land per capita. The Hausman test supports a fixed-effects specification, which is therefore used in the analysis. The results indicate that population has a positive and statistically significant effect on agricultural productivity, while agricultural land per capita is negatively associated with productivity. Fertilizer use and agricultural water withdrawal are not statistically significant, while water stress shows a positive association with agricultural productivity. The findings suggest that the interaction of demographic pressure, land availability, and water-related constraints shapes agricultural productivity in selected Sub-Saharan African countries. The study highlights the need for improved water resource management, efficient land use, and sustainable agricultural intensification, alongside better-targeted use of production inputs, to support sustainable productivity growth and strengthen food security in Sub-Saharan Africa.