By Debra Mallowah, Chair of the B20 Task Force on Sustainable Food Systems & Agriculture and Board Member of CropLife Africa Middle East
This year’s G20 summit in South Africa is a historic milestone, officially the first time it is held on the continent. As an African woman, I am honored to chair the B20’s Sustainable Food Systems and Agriculture Task Force during this historic summit in South Africa. This is not just a geopolitical milestone; it is an opportunity to reframe our collective approach to food security, climate resilience, and sustainable development, especially for developing countries, which bear a disproportionate burden despite contributing minimally to the climate crisis.
Africa’s population, now over 1.4 billion and projected to approach 2.5 billion by 2050, is the continent’s greatest asset and challenge. Our small-scale farmers, more than half of the workforce, are the backbone of local and regional food systems. Yet, they are the most vulnerable to the intensifying impacts of climate change. Shockingly, as global hunger declines, it continues to rise in Africa.
Africa’s food future will be written by its smallholder farmers, and our responsibility is to put the right tools, training, and financing in their hands.
While Africa is often seen as a vulnerable continent, it holds immense potential: youth, agricultural land, community resilience, and an untapped capacity for sustainable transformation.
But to unlock this future, we need bold actions, driven by shared responsibility with the global community. The G20 is a fantastic opporunity to build a supportive framework and implement policies that empower local solutions.
Strengthening the resilience of agrifood supply chains
According to a recent WHO report[1], there is a rise in hunger across Africa, including in many countries affected by prolonged food crises. The proportion of the population facing hunger in Africa surpassed 20 percent in 2024, affecting 307 million people.
Therefore, strengthening the resilience of agrifood supply chains is crucial and it begins with supporting regional and local supply chains. Our recommendation is clear: there is a need to invest in regional sourcing and processing of food products, to increase participation of smallholder producers and small businesses, including women and youth, and to promote transparent governance.
Africa’s youth and women are not just beneficiaries of food systems transformation; they are the implementers. We should invest in them as entrepreneurs, not as bystanders. The private sector must become a central partner in this. This isn’t just about corporate responsibility; it’s about fostering sustainable markets, creating jobs, and ensuring food sovereignty.
Boosting Access to Technologies and Inputs
Africa has approximately 60 percent of the world’s uncultivated arable land, and indeed has the potential to feed itself and the world[2]. Producing more with less in a bid to improve productivity on existing cultivated land is a priority.
Innovation is our ally in the fight against hunger and climate change, but also in agricultural productivity. Digital tools and connectivity must be accessible and affordable. Yet, technology alone is insufficient. We need cross-border cooperation to facilitate technology transfer and disseminate productivity boosting technologies across borders.
Incentivizing the uptake of improved inputs through tailored financing and regulatory frameworks is essential. We need to foster environments that empower the private sector to introduce suitable tools into the market, and to enable smallholder farmers and agribusinesses to succeed with innovative solutions.
Thanks to the above recommendations, we aim to increase the share of smallholder farmers with access to finance in Africa from 10 to 33 percent.
Building Inclusive Livelihoods and Resilience
It’s morally imperative, and scientifically evident, that investing in women, youth, and smallholder farmers yields more equitable growth and climate resilience. Innovative finance models, capacity-building programs across the value chain, and data systems to track contribution and progress must be scaled up. These initiatives will ensure that marginalized groups are not left behind, but are cornerstone contributors to sustainable food systems and will translate into stronger local economies, healthier food environments, and empowered communities.
Integrating Trade for Food Security
Did you know that most African countries are net food importers? Indeed, at least 82 percent of Africa’s basic food imports come from outside the continent[3].
That’s why trade is a vital link in the chain. When regional and intra-regional trade is integrated into long-term strategies, food systems become more resilient to climate shocks and conflict. Strengthening infrastructure, harmonizing standards, and reducing both tariff and non-tariff barriers, are crucial steps. Digital trade tools can further streamline cross-border commerce and reduce delays that jeopardize food availability.
Regional cooperation, underpinned by transparent policies and committed to sustainable standards, can turn trade from a vulnerability into a strength, ensuring food security and economic growth.
With this objective we aim to increase the share of intra-regional trade from overall trade-africa from 15 percent in 2023 to 25 percent by 2040.
Accelerating Sustainable Innovations
Finally, embracing regenerative agricultural practices is vital. Healthy soils, resilient seeds, and empowered farmers is part of the climate action Africa needs.
Building innovation hubs to develop, adapt, and disseminate these practices, especially in low- and middle-income countries, can drive large-scale impact. Public-private partnerships, supported by targeted investments, are key to scaling these solutions and making them practical and profitable for farmers of all sizes.
Implementation is the only currency that counts now. Farmers need results in their fields, not just plans and promises on paper.
I see this G20 summit in South Africa as a unique chance and catalyst for real change. Africa’s journey towards resilient, inclusive, and innovative food systems is already underway, but with global support and local solutions, we can accelerate this transformation to unlock the continent’s full potential. The time has come for bold commitments, strategic investments, and genuine partnerships to turn ambition into action.
This is an opportunity, and a responsibility, that we cannot afford to miss. Together, with Africa at the forefront, we can shape a future where food security, climate resilience, and sustainable development go hand in hand.
[1] Global hunger declines, but rises in Africa and western Asia: UN report
[2] 2 truths about Africa’s agriculture, World Economic Forum
[3] Revitalizing African Agriculture: Time for Bold Action, the UNCTAD
