The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) has emphasized that Africa’s agricultural sector is not merely a regional concern but a cornerstone of global food security, climate resilience, and economic stability.

Highlighting recent data, AGRA warned that failure to modernize African agriculture could worsen hunger, environmental degradation, and geopolitical instability worldwide. Agriculture supports over half of Africa’s population and forms the backbone of rural economies, yet it faces mounting challenges from climate shocks, land degradation, and insufficient investment.

AGRA noted that fragmented landscapes and soil depletion are undermining ecosystem services, such as water regulation and soil fertility, directly impacting productivity and rural incomes. According to the latest UN food security assessments, over 307 million Africans—more than 20% of the population—faced hunger in 2024, a figure far above the global average.

AGRA President Alice Ruhweza stressed that viewing hunger solely as a humanitarian issue delays action and raises long-term costs. Weak food systems strain health systems, reduce human capital, and slow economic growth, creating ripple effects that threaten both national and global stability.

With the African Development Bank projecting the continent’s food and agriculture market could reach $1 trillion by 2030, Ruhweza urged that growth be sustainable, equitable, and environmentally conscious. She called on governments, development banks, insurers, philanthropies, and agrifood companies to prioritize climate adaptation measures for smallholder farmers, including stress-tolerant seeds, climate-smart extension services, insurance, and reliable climate information.