The African Union (AU) in January 2025 launched a bold new strategy to revolutionise agriculture and secure food self-sufficiency across the continent within the next decade. The initiative, according to the AU, was adopted during the AU Extraordinary Summit on the Post-Malabo Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) in Kampala, Uganda. It outlines a transformative agenda for Africa’s agri-food systems from 2026 to 2035.
At the heart of the strategy is a commitment to boost agricultural output by 45% by 2035, reduce post-harvest losses by half, and triple intra-African trade in agricultural products and inputs. The plan also aims to increase the contribution of locally processed food to 35% of Africa’s agri-food GDP, creating a more resilient and sustainable food system for the continent.
The Kampala CAADP Declaration, endorsed by all 55 AU member states, emphasises six key commitments to address the challenges posed by a rapidly growing population. With Africa’s population projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, and the global population expected to rise to 9.8 billion, the demand for food is set to soar. Recognising this, African leaders pledged to intensify sustainable agricultural practices, promote agro-industrialisation, and expand trade.
The declaration highlights the urgent need to enhance agricultural productivity, modernise food processing, and strengthen trade networks across Africa. The continent’s leaders also stressed the importance of reducing food waste and post-harvest losses to ensure that increased production translates into improved food availability.
This strategy is pivotal in Africa’s journey toward food security, providing a clear roadmap for countries to collectively address food challenges. By fostering collaboration and innovation, the plan aims to build resilient agricultural systems capable of meeting the continent’s future food demands.
The initiative is a great step towards aligning Africa’s agricultural ambitions with its broader development goals, setting the stage for a more food-secure and self-reliant continent.
Drivers of food insecurity in Africa
Food insecurity in Africa is driven by a combination of structural, environmental, and socio-economic factors, these include:
1. Climate Change and Environmental Degradation
Extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods, and erratic rainfall patterns, significantly reduce agricultural productivity. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Africa is one of the regions most vulnerable to climate change impacts, with agriculture heavily reliant on rain-fed systems (IPCC, 2022). In late 2022, for instance, floods displaced 2.5 million people, destroying farmland and exacerbating food insecurity in Nigeria. As a result, 25 million Nigerians were projected at the time to face hunger by mid-2023 (International Rescue Committee (IRC)). In Ethiopia, drought affects 24+ million people, worsened by conflict and rising food prices after the collapse of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, as Ethiopia relies heavily on Ukrainian and Russian wheat imports.
2. Conflict and Political Instability
Armed conflicts and political unrest disrupt food production, supply chains, and access to markets. The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that nearly 70% of the world’s food-insecure people live in conflict-affected areas, many of which are in Africa (WFP, 2023).
The interplay between conflict dynamics & challenges within agricultural systems creates complex scenarios throughout Africa. There are instances where localised crisis spreads across entire regions hindering overall capacity necessary assuring reliable sources nutritious foods while amplifying cycle poverty among affected communities and intensifying humanitarian needs. Key areas where conflicts rage and entrench disproportionate impacts on agriculture include;
- Tigray Region, Ethiopia
- Northern Nigeria
- South Sudan
- Central African Republic (CAR)
- Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
- Somalia
- Niger
- Mali
- Burkina Faso
3. Economic Inequality and Poverty
High levels of poverty and inequality limit access to nutritious food for millions. The African Development Bank (AfDB) highlights that over 25% of sub-Saharan Africa’s population faces extreme poverty, undermining food purchasing power (AfDB, 2023).
4. Rapid Population Growth
Africa’s population is growing at an unprecedented rate, projected to double by 2050, placing immense pressure on food systems. The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) estimates that this growth will significantly outpace agricultural production if current trends persist (UNDESA, 2022). By 2050, Africa’s population is projected to reach approximately 2.5 billion people. This is a significant increase from the current population of around 1.4 billion. The population growth is primarily driven by high birth rates and a younger median age compared to other regions of the world. Sub-Saharan Africa, in particular, is expected to contribute most of this growth.
5. Weak Agricultural Infrastructure
Inadequate infrastructure for irrigation, storage, and transportation exacerbates post-harvest losses, reducing food availability. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that up to 37% of food produced in Africa is lost post-harvest due to poor infrastructure and handling (FAO, 2022).
Africa’s Agricultural Potential
Africa holds 65% of the world’s uncultivated arable land, presenting a critical opportunity to address food insecurity. With its food import bill expected to surpass $110 billion by 2025 and 283 million people facing hunger annually, harnessing this potential is essential (African Development Bank)
Efforts to Ensure Food Security
The African Development Bank (AfDB) says it has invested over $8 billion in agriculture over seven years, improving food security for 250 million people. Following the disruption of wheat and maize exports by the Russia-Ukraine war, the AfDB launched a $1.5 billion emergency food facility, supporting 20 million farmers in 36 countries to produce 38 million tonnes of food valued at $12 billion. Ethiopia, for instance, achieved wheat self-sufficiency and is now a wheat exporter. To boost value addition, the AfDB is driving agro-industrial processing through a $3 billion initiative supporting 25 zones in 15 countries. This aims to transform Africa into a global powerhouse in food and agriculture.
World Bank Interventions
The World Bank highlights Africa’s vulnerability to a “perfect storm” of climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, and global shocks. Social protection programmes, such as Somalia’s Baxnaano initiative, have provided cash transfers to 1 million households to improve food security. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the STEP-KIN project delivered digital cash transfers to 270,000 individuals in urban areas.
Agribusiness projects like Zambia’s Agribusiness and Trade Project and Malawi’s AGCOM initiative are enhancing smallholder productivity, reducing food losses, and fostering job creation. Infrastructure improvements, such as Madagascar’s road upgrades, are helping farmers access markets and boost agricultural output.
Climate-Resilient Agriculture
Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is key to mitigating climate risks. In Lesotho, improved irrigation and frost protection have enabled year-round farming, while Kenya’s CSA Project has enhanced smallholder resilience to climate shocks. The World Bank’s $2.3 billion regional program supports Eastern and Southern Africa in tackling food insecurity, with initial investments benefiting Madagascar, Ethiopia, and regional coordination bodies like the International Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Center for Cordination of Agricultural Research and Development (CCARDESA).
Conclusion
Africa can address food insecurity by leveraging its vast agricultural potential, enhancing climate resilience, and investing in value-added agriculture. With 65% of the world’s uncultivated arable land, the continent can boost food production to feed its growing population and export surplus. Transitioning from exporting raw commodities to value-added agricultural products can generate wealth and create jobs. For example, Africa produces 65% of the world’s cocoa but earns only 2% of the $120 billion chocolate market due to limited processing capacity (Adesina, 2022). Initiatives like the AfDB’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones, supported by $3 billion in funding, aim to address this gap by enhancing local processing capabilities.
Strengthening climate-smart agriculture is vital to mitigating climate change impacts. The World Bank’s $2.3 billion regional programme promotes climate-resilient food systems in Eastern and Southern Africa, benefiting over 2.3 million people through improved infrastructure, seed systems, and research (World Bank, 2022). By combining investment, innovation, and resilience-building strategies, Africa can achieve food security and reduce hunger sustainably. Additionally, using non-costly and simple strategies like the ‘Operation Feed Yourself’ introduced by one of Ghana’s army heads of state, Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, in 1972, could greatly help the situation. The programme simply encouraged Ghanaians to grow their own food in their back and side yards at home for subsistence. Already, it is normal for African homesteads in rural areas and villages to grow their own food. Extending that culture to the cities and towns would be one step toward achieving food sufficiency for Africa. As it is oft-said, ‘little drops of water, make a mighty ocean.’ Such little steps could be the key the Africa’s self-reliance food-wise.
