COMCEC Agriculture Outlook 2018
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Figure 17 reveals that Arab Group has the highest labor productivity among the three regions.
As of 2015, average agricultural labor productivity of Arab Group increased to 3,172 US
dollars/person, from less than 2,000 US dollars/person at the beginning of 1990s. Looking at
the individual countries in the Arab Group, Lebanon, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and
United Arab Emirates, registered the high level labor productivity. Although the levels of labor
productivity are high in the OIC, it must be recognized that many countries in the region have a
serious obstacle for agricultural development due to limited water resources and unfavorable
climatic conditions. The higher levels of labor productivity are probably due to a host of factors
including high levels of mechanization and use of fertilizer and pesticides. It may be noted that
the levels of labor productivity in the Lebanon, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are comparable to those
in high income countries.5
The level of labor productivity in the African Group was the lowest in the OIC with 1,613 US
dollars/person in 2015. Some African Group member countries such as Djibouti, Guinea,
Gambia, Uganda and Mozambique had the lowest levels of labor productivity among the OIC
member countries in this year.
2.3.3. Crop Yields
Another common indicator for analyzing agricultural productivity is crop yields. Even crop
yields can be calculated for each agricultural product, it should suffice to present improvements
in the most common, important and strategic crops. Therefore, wheat, maize and cotton seed
which play crucial roles in the OIC production, consumption and trade are selected in order to
analyze the crop yields in this study.
Figure 18 shows the yield of wheat, which is one of the most common cultivated products in the
OIC. In 2016, average wheat yield of OIC member countries reached 2.3 tons/hectare, from 1.6
tons/hectare in 1995. Wheat yield increased in general both in the OIC and in the world during
the last two decades. As of 2016, World average wheat yield was 51 percent higher than OIC.
Another key crop for OIC member countries is maize which is used for both human consumption
and livestock feed. It is considered as a staple food with a high nutritional value for many
millions of people in developing countries, especially sub-Saharan Africa. Furthermore, its stalks
can be used to provide fodder for livestock in rural areas where farmers have difficulties to reach
compound feed.
5 IDB, 2009