Why Africa's food systems are failing

It's no longer a secret. Africa is so hungry that she could eat a horse. 

The latest data by the Food and Agricultural Organisation(FAO) shows that Africa's food system is failing to deliver sustainable, healthy diets to everyone, largely due to the combination of climate change, conflict, economic instability, low agricultural productivity, and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This means that with over 20 per cent of the continent's population (roughly 257 million people) undernourished, Africa bears the heaviest burden of malnutrition.

Child malnutrition is still a significant challenge in many African countries. While progress has been made in some areas, high levels of malnutrition persist, according to experts. 

According to UNICEF, over 20 million people and at least 10 million children faced severe food shortages in Africa due to crop failure and four consecutive dry seasons. Meanwhile, projections by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) indicate that Africa's annual food imports will increase significantly by a factor of seven from USD 15 billion in 2018 to USD 110 billion by 2025 and by a factor of three from the current USD 43 billion.

A week ago, the IGAD Regional Focus of the 2024 Global Report on Food Crises revealed that about 62.9 million people in Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda are grappling with high levels of acute food insecurity.

This is because of a deepening food insecurity crisis that has persisted for the past five years. The situation indicates an urgent need for concerted efforts to address the mounting humanitarian needs.

This may be why the continent is currently meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, at the 2024 Africa Food Systems Forum, which has drawn delegates from all over the world.

But why can't Africa feed herself?

Experts explain that outdated farming practices and the low adoption rate of improved agricultural technologies contribute to low productivity. Issues such as monoculture, lack of crop rotation, and poor soil management are still prevalent across the continent. 

Poor infrastructure, such as roads, storage, and processing facilities, limits access to markets and increases post-harvest losses. Moreover, many African farmers and other food systems-related businesses lack access to finance and credit facilities that would enable them to invest.

The ongoing  global meet in Kigali is themed "Harnessing the Private Sector for Food Systems Transformation in Africa." 

The solution-oriented meeting is led by AGRA, an African-led institution focused on scaling agricultural innovations that help smallholder farmers increase their incomes, improve their livelihoods, and improve food security.

According to AGRA's President, Dr Agnes Kalibata, the organisation catalyses and sustains an inclusive agricultural transformation to increase incomes and enhance food security in 11 African countries, including Kenya.

She believes that empoweringAfrican food systems requires a multi-faceted approach that includes technological advancements, innovation and knowledge, digital revolution, trade, and innovative financing for a sustainable future.

"The increasing threat of climate and non-climate shocks and stressors only makes promoting practices that build resilience and sustainability even more essential. While these challenges amplify the vulnerabilities of Africa's food systems, it is crucial to recognise the compelling potential for transformative interventions; many initiatives from climate-smart agriculture practices to infrastructure development and policy reforms are already addressing these challenges with promising results," she said.

"With innovative financing and cutting-edge knowledge and innovation, African food systems can overcome these challenges to ensure food and nutrition security for all," "experts assure. Dr Kalibata highlights that Africa can kill two birds with one stone. 

"It is important to recognise that Africa is at a critical juncture with the number of its young people expected to reach 200 million peopleby 2030. This increases the urgency to provide productive employment and entrepreneurial opportunities. With the strong focus on digitalisation, automation, and now artificial intelligence (AI) as surefire solutions for Africa's food systems, the youth are strategically placed to effectively leverage them to infuse innovation and energy into transforming the continent's food systems landscape," she says.

The director general of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and Managing Director of Systems Transformation (CGIAR), Dr Johan Swinnen, believes that Africa, a continent of immense potential, stands at a crucial juncture. 

"Home to some of the world's most fertile lands, abundant resources, and a burgeoning young population, it remains paradoxically ensnared in the grip of food insecurity, malnutrition, and challenges such as climate change, post-harvest losses, and inefficient supply chains. 

The urgency to empower and transform African food systems is not merely an agricultural or economic imperative but a moral, social, and ecological one," he highlights. 

The 2023 report by AGRA titledEmpowering Africa Food Systems for the Futurehighlights how Africa is uniquely positioned to redefine its future and pave a sustainable and resilient path for generations to come.

"In delving into the assessment of food systems failures, the report confronts some harsh truths, like the fact that despite being home to nearly 60 per cent of the world's uncultivated arable land, Africa remains a net food importer, spending billions annually to meet its food demands.

A large fraction of the continent still grapples with chronic hunger and malnutrition which is why the report does not stop at justassessing failures; it moves forward to take stock of the robust and diverse food systems that form the lifeblood of the continent," AGRA explains. 

However, in examining how intra-African trade can bolster food systems transformation on the continent, their report shows that while African governments are committed to tripling intra-African trade in agricultural commodities and services by 2025 as part of the commitments of the 2014 Malabo Declaration, this aspiration appears far-fetched; intra-African trade continues to dwindle from its peak in 2013 to less than 15 per cent in 2022.

She is of the viewthat the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the main instrument in driving this agenda, has the potential to significantly transform food systems on the continent.

"It is poised to do so by increasing market access, ensuring reduced tariffs and non-tariff barriers, advancing food safety and quality standards across jurisdictions, and increasing the diversity of produce from different regions," Dr Kalibata notes. 

This is why the ongoing meeting in Kigali, which is focusing on revolutionising African food systems, innovative financing, and the infusion of knowledge and innovation, will present practical solutions ranging from leveraging the transformative potential of AfCFTA to harnessing the power of the digital revolution, as there are many potential pathways to change. 

Experts are trying to show that innovative finance is not just a buzzword – it isan essential tool for Africa's journey towards sustainable, resilient, and inclusive food systems. 

"As the continent faces the dual challenges of rapid population growth and climate change, finding new financing mechanisms will be paramount in shaping a prosperous and secure food future for all its citizens. 

Through green bonds, impact in sting, and other innovative financial tools, investments can be directed towards sustainable agricultural practices that protect the environment, enhance biodiversity, and combat climate change," the AGRA report further highlights 

"Balancing sustainability with nutrition offers a nuanced perspective on a critical challenge, reminding us that it is not just about producing more food but better food for everyone. 

As the report shines a spotlight on the demographic dividend, we recognise that Africa's youth can and should be the vanguard of this transformation," Dr Swinnen believes while adding that the urgent need to empower and transform African food systems transcends borders and sectors callingupon policymakers, farmers, entrepreneurs, youth, and every stakeholder to rally around a shared vision. 

"It is a vision of an self-reliantAfrica, where no child goes to bed hungry, and where environmental sustainability, gender equality, and resilience abound."​

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