Agriculture is often an important part of any country's economy. It not only serves as a means of feeding the nations' population, but can also serve as an excellent export to other countries. We're all familiar with Florida oranges, Idaho potatoes, and even Wisconsin cheese. These have become famous for their unique taste or perhaps simply marketability, which is an important strategy of food products alongside transportation systems. For example, because ours in the United States are up to date, it allows us to obtain certain crops, such as rice from Japan, in a timely manner and at low cost. However, in the SADC (Southern African Development Council) it is not so easy. In this article we will take a look at why this is the case from the past to the present, define agricultural development, and offer reasons why an adequate transportation system is needed. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The history of African agricultural development can be divided into four periods: precolonial, colonial, postcolonial, and current. There are similarities and differences between these periods that may offer some insight into how Africa grew into the situations it faces now. Agriculture at this time was classified as subsistence farming and shifting cultivation due to a low land population. All, or most, food was grown for consumption by farmers and others who lived nearby and was directly related to nutrition. At that time transportation systems were practically useless. Agriculture during the colonial period, from 1880 to the mid-1960s, was drastically changed and went from being self-sufficient to the brink of starvation. Colonization mandated the cultivation of cash crops along with various market and fiscal policies. This separation of agriculture from nutrition, the backbone of African agriculture. The land had to be cultivated constantly and not seasonally, another way Europeans exploited Africans. Transportation systems at that time were designed to export raw materials from coastal areas and import manufactured goods. Before the arrival of the 1960s some countries became independent again and rushed to industrialize to keep up with the modern world. However, the economy continued to suffer because agricultural products sold often did not return their actual value. The “elites” were similar to the Euro rule and favored imported goods to satisfy appetites over agriculture, which was seen as demeaning and backward. However, transportation needs had not been met. The roads, materials and facilities to build them were woefully inadequate and in some cases caused more harm than good. Agriculture is Africa's most important sector. Agriculture accounts for approximately 35% of GDP, 40% of exports and 75% of employment. However, data shows that between 1981 and 1992, agricultural production per capita in SADC countries declined. Population has outpaced production and land use and again delayed the arrival of inadequate transportation systems. An appropriate definition of “inadequate” transportation systems could be defined as: attempting to minimize the cost of inputs at the agricultural enterprise and the cost of inputs at delivery by reducing the costs of physically moving inputs and of outputs to maximize the utility of time. Road transport is by far the most popular means of transportation..