Simon Bukenya
“Imagine African governments dependent on external entities for their agriculture and food production to stand, only for a foreign government to withdraw that support.” – Dr. Million Belay (General Coordinator of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA)
The panic! The confusion! The uncertainity of the future! amongst many African and global leaders following American President Donald Trump’s announcement to halt USAID funding to Africa and globally despite Africa’s abundant fertile soil, moderate climate, diverse and nutritious food species, and a youthful population that could drive a thriving agricultural sector.
Since 1961, theUnited States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been a major contributor to Africa’s agricultural development began funding agricultural programs in Africa. While many African countries have a large amount of arable land to produce food to sustain their populations, the irony is they have been relying on this external support to sustaintheir food systems. USAID’s involvement has ranged from supplying seeds and fertilizers to Influencing agricultural policies. But then what happens when that support is abruptly cut off? - The recent halt in USAID funding to Africa following the election of Donald Trump serves as a harsh reminder of the dangers of foreign aid dependency for Africa’s food security and production.
Additionally, this isnot just a financial crisis, but a wake-up call for African governments to rethink and act now, with the main question being; How can Africa build resilient and self-sustaining food systems, while reclaiming food sovereignty in the long run, and ensuring that the smallholder farmers are put at the centre of these processes?
Breaking Free from Aid Dependency
For too long, Africa’s agricultural and food policies have been shaped by donors, foreign governments, and multinational corporations whose interests prioritize industrial agriculture, monocultures, and export-driven food production over the needs of the African farmers and consumers. The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), once envisioned as a tool to drive agricultural transformation has been corrupted by foreign influence, thus sidelining farmers and consumers’ ideas, as well as sustainable andcommunity-centered approaches especially agroecology, and instead prioritizing industrial agribusiness over local food systems.
With USAID pullingout its support, African governments must act decisively to recuperate control
over Africa’s agricultural future by;
Empowering African Youth in Food Production and Agroecology
Africa has theyoungest population in the world, with over 60% of its people under the age of 25. However, youth participation in agriculture remain slow due to limited access to land, capital, and market opportunities. Instead of investing in youth-led agroecological enterprises, most African governments continue promoting imported industrial models that benefit large agribusinesses.
It is very clear thatby supporting youth-driven agroecology initiatives, Africa will have millions of jobs in sustainable agriculture and food processing for African youth, hence reducing the instances of rural-urban migration. Countries like Uganda and Kenya have seen success with youth-led farming cooperatives that promote
indigenous seeds, biodiversity conservation, permaculture and other Agroecology initiatives.
Reforms to Land Rights and Access
Access to land remains one of the biggest challenges for smallholder farmers, women, and youth in Africa. In many African countries, foreign investors and large agribusinesses control vast tracts of land, leaving local farmers landless or displaced, with no place to cultivate the crops they depend on to feed their families and secure an income. To achieve food sovereignty, African governments MUST secure favorable land tenure policies for smallholder farmers,especially women and youth and combat land grabbing by foreign agribusinesses and investors.
Sufficient Budget Allocations for sustainable and healthy approaches
Most African countries underfund sustainable agriculture, directing billions into commercial agribusiness projects while leaving smallholder farmers struggling. Even within CAADP, funding flows overwhelmingly towards input-intensive industrial agriculture, controlled by foreign corporations and relying on funding from foreign governments and corporations.
African political leaders have still adamantly refused to allocate enough funding to sustainable agriculture approaches especially agroecology which has proven sustainable to the majority small holders who practice its principles. For Africa to gaincomplete sovereignty over its own food systems, national governments MUST allocate a reasonable budget to sustainable food production and consumptionapproaches, appreciate and support farmer managed seed systems to avoid dependency on foreign seeds. Moreover, national governments should promote extension services that focus on sustainablefarming practices, rather than conventional and industrial practices pushed by multinational corporations.
Strengthening Citizen-Led National Food Policies
African countries cannot afford to let its food policies be dictated and designed from foreign offices as it leads to the neglect of local/grassroots needs and priorities Therefore, African Countries should ensure that National food policies are led by citizens, farmer organizations, indigenous communities, and small holder farmer, not corporations and donor agencies.
“Oneconcern I have is that this recent turn of events does not lead more of our African governments to unduly shift their reliance on China (or Russia, in the case of the newly formed Alliance of Sahelian States (AES) because these external governments also have their own interests as well, that may not align with African sovereignty.” – Peter Gubbels, Groundswell International
To bring it out truthfully, Africa’s Food Future is in its own Hands. The withdrawal of USAID should not be perceived as a crisis, but rather an opportunity. to break freefrom aid dependency. However, to achieve this our current and future African leaders should prioritize sustainability and self-sufficiency over reliance on not foreign aid.
“The Latinphrase ‘Carpe Diem’ (seize the Moment) should be our guiding star and principle in the wake of withdrawal of US AID from Africa.” – Dr. Chris Macoloo, World Neighbours Africa
The choice is VERY clear; Africa can either continue chasing after foreign aid or rise to feed itself. The time for food sovereignty is NOW.
