The Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support System (ReSAKSS) is an Africa-wide network that provides analysis, data, and tools to promote evidence-based decision making, improve awareness of the role of agriculture for development in Africa, fill knowledge gaps, promote dialogue and facilitate the benchmarking and review processes associated with the AU/NEPAD’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and other regional agricultural development initiatives in Africa. About the Working Paper series The goal of the ReSAKSS Working Paper series is to provide timely access to preliminary research and data analysis results that relate directly to strengthening ongoing discussions and critical commentaries on the future direction of African agriculture and rural development. The series undergoes a standard peer review process involving at least one reviewer from within the ReSAKSS network of partners and at least one external reviewer. It is expected that most of the working papers will eventually be published in some other form and that their content may be revised further, Poverty, Food Security and Agricultural Trends in Southern Africa(2007).