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ECA Urges Bold Action to Transform Africa’s Food Systems

DAKAR, SENEGAL — The Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Mr. Claver Gatete, has called for urgent, practical, and homegrown solutions to accelerate Africa’s food systems transformation, warning that the continent can no longer afford dependence on food imports.

Speaking at the Presidential Summit Plenary of the Africa Food Systems Forum 2025, Gatete described it as a paradox that Africa — blessed with vast arable land, abundant water resources, and a vibrant young population — still spent $115 billion on food imports in 2024.

“Hunger is rising across Africa, even after more than a decade of implementing the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP),” he noted. “This paradox must be addressed with urgency.”

A New Strategy for Food Security

Gatete welcomed the adoption of the CAADP Strategy and Action Plan (2026–2035), which sets ambitious targets:

45% increase in agrifood output

50% reduction in post-harvest losses

35% growth in local food processing

He stressed that the era of relying on foreign aid is over, insisting Africa must mobilise its own resources and attract private investments through innovative tools such as pension funds, diaspora remittances, and green bonds.

Trade and Investment as Game-Changers

Calling the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) a critical enabler, Gatete urged leaders to dismantle trade barriers and unlock Africa’s capacity to increase intra-African agrifood exports by nearly 60% by 2045.

He outlined six priority actions, including:

Aligning national budgets with food system commitments

Scaling up financing for women and youth entrepreneurs

Expanding rural infrastructure to boost productivity

Youth at the Heart of Transformation

Gatete emphasised that Africa’s young people must be placed at the centre of agricultural transformation, not just as beneficiaries but as drivers of innovation and growth.

“Transforming food systems is not just about feeding people,” he declared. “It’s about dignity, sovereignty, and securing Africa’s rightful place in the global economy.”

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna