With over 300 million people still hungry, Africa faces a food crisis worsened by climate change, conflict, and fragile markets. Hamond Motsi, PhD researcher at Stellenbosch University, argues that bold solutions – from climate-smart farming to digital agriculture and stronger trade – can turn the tide this year.
As everyone embraces the new year with resolutions aimed at personal improvement, it is imperative that agriculture and food security on the African continent are similarly prioritised.
The continent’s food security situation remains a critical concern, as it continues to grapple with numerous hegemonic challenges, including climate change, soil degradation and poor soil fertility, fragile markets, tense global geopolitics, migration, inadequate agricultural infrastructure, and rising household living costs, all of which exert significant pressure.
Of particular concern is the cumulative nature of these challenges, which exacerbate the food security crisis annually, with approximately 307 million people still suffering from hunger. Consequently, the onset of a new year presents an opportunity to harness renewed energy and optimism, fostering the pursuit of innovative solutions to address the continent’s food security challenges.
Climate adaptation and resilience will be a major driver
The writing is clearly on the wall on how climate change is the foremost threat to agriculture, exacerbating food security uncertainty in Africa. Increasing temperatures, reduced growing periods, unpredictable rainfall, and more frequent occurrences of droughts and floods have become systemic elements of African agriculture rather than occasional disruptions.
For Africa to safeguard its agricultural integrity, it must confront its primary adversary with vigilance and sustainable strategies. Climate adaptation will aid in navigating the harsh realities posed by climate change, enhancing agricultural resilience and providing an escape from its severe impacts.
Adapting agriculture to climate change includes modifying farming practices to handle the effects of climate change. This includes the inclusion of drought-tolerant crops, conserving water, diversifying crops, changing planting schedules and conservation agriculture, all of which strengthen resilience against evolving conditions.
Digital agriculture and AI
The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) brought significant strides in improving modern technologies. In Africa, AI and digital agriculture should be employed to tackle the immediate, real-world challenges faced by farmers, rather than being driven only by time-consuming field experiments.
AI-driven applications and platforms integrate weather predictions, soil information, and crop models to guide farmers on the best times for planting, appropriate fertiliser applications, and effective pest control. AI-based image recognition applications on smartphones identify crop diseases and nutrient shortages in real time, enabling rapid action and minimising input waste. These applications simplify complex data into straightforward, actionable advice, making them accessible even in low-literacy environments.
However, it is essential to gather firsthand data from the fields, particularly from smallholder farmers who are prevalent in Africa. This data is crucial for accurately calibrating AI models, which in turn leads to precise results and improved decision-making. Currently, some models are calibrated elsewhere, and their application in other systems may not yield precise outcomes.
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Market diversification and strengthening the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
Escalating geopolitical tensions among global powers continue to exert pressure on Africa’s already volatile agricultural market.
The re-election of Trump as President of the United States reintroduced tariff regimes, which disrupted global marketing systems, including agriculture, and had severe repercussions for Africa. For example, South Africa, a significant exporter of agricultural produce to the United States, was notably affected. In response to the tariff shock, South Africa commendably redirected its exports to new markets in Asia.
Conversely, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) platform facilitates intra-African trade; however, its potential remains underexploited. Strengthening and effectively implementing this platform will be crucial for ensuring food security across the continent. As Africa contends with the instability of global markets due to geopolitical tensions, local markets remain stable, thereby ensuring food availability for those in need while also generating economic benefits.
Yield achievement through soil health enhancement
Degraded soil health is a significant factor contributing to reduced agricultural yields, a situation further aggravated by suboptimal agronomic practices, diminishing soil organic matter, and climate change. Implementing practices that enhance soil health, such as organic farming, reduced tillage, crop rotation, and integrated soil fertility management, is essential for improving soil conditions.
These practices increase the efficiency of certain agricultural inputs and promote soil stewardship. Moreover, they foster the proliferation of beneficial microorganisms, which are central to soil health management and, consequently, enhance soil fertility.
Conflict resolution as a pathway to reducing food insecurity in Africa
While challenges such as climate change remain major contributors to food insecurity in Africa, one often overlooked cause is the unending wars plaguing several countries. Conflict disturbs the entire agricultural value chain, starting with forcing farmers off their land, damaging infrastructure, disrupting input and output market supply chains, and obstructing market access. In conflict-affected areas, farmers often shift from growing food crops, looking for survival tactics, implying that no food is grown or produced.
Addressing conflict reinstates access to land and labour, which are essential for agricultural activities. When communities achieve safety, displaced farmers return, fields are cultivated once again, and pastoral systems regain their mobility. Ensuring safe land access also minimises resource disputes, especially in regions where climate change heightens competition for water and grazing areas.
Emphasis on agro-processing industries
Agro-processing in Africa remains underdeveloped, resulting in the ongoing export of unprocessed produce, which diminishes returns from its potential. Many countries are known for producing agricultural goods that are exported in their raw form and then re-imported as processed products at higher prices. Notable examples include tobacco from Zimbabwe, cocoa from Ghana, tea from Kenya, and coffee from Ethiopia.
These crops are considered cash crops, and while they significantly contribute to the agricultural GDP of their respective countries, their true potential returns could be realised if they were exported after undergoing value-added processing. Therefore, to enable Africa to realise its potential fully, it is essential to consider agro-processing specifically for cash crops, the entire agricultural value chain.
While it is recognised that not all objectives may be fully realised, the attempt to address them remains crucial. As the year commences, it presents new growth opportunities, and Africa must undertake decisive measures in agricultural development to ensure its food security.
- Hamond Motsi is a PhD student in the faculty of agrisciences at Stellenbosch University and a member of the Zimbabwe Young Academy of Sciences (ZIMYAS). Hamond holds an MSc in agronomy (cum laude), a BSc Hons in crop science, and a BSc in crop and soil science (cum laude). He can be reached at onehammond2@gmail.com. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Food For Mzansi.
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