The African Opportunity: focusing on food can cement a leadership role in climate and nature action
by Nancy Rapando, Africa’s Food Future Initiative Lead, WWF, and Alissa Wachter, Development Manager, Food, WWF
Last week, African leaders, policymakers, businesses, youth, farmers and civil society met at both the Africa Climate Summit and Africa Food Systems Forum, which ran concurrently in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. There were two events but one clear message — sustainable food systems and a stable climate are co-dependent. It’s impossible to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius if we don’t transform food production, consumption, loss and waste, and African food systems will only be sustainable if we innovate to adapt to the changing climate landscape.
Africa is the global frontier for agricultural expansion, but it’s also the region in which farmers are worst hit by the impacts of climate change.The continent is thought to hold two-thirds of the world’s remaining arable land and is likely to see significant investments in food production. However, the way food is produced, distributed, and consumed in Africa is often at odds with the natural capital on which humans and wildlife depend. Unsustainable agricultural practices are threatening the ecological integrity of natural landscapes and the resilience of smallholder farming communities. At the same time, although African countries are some of the lowest greenhouse gas emitters, accounting for under 4% of global emissions, African farmers are suffering most from an increase in temperatures, droughts and floods, pests and diseases and other adverse impacts of climate change.
We must carefully manage the transition to a more productive, better managed food system that protects and restores nature, to benefit climate and people. And the tone must shift. We can’t think about Africa only in a context of fragility — it’s time to realise the potential of our continent’s agriculture and food systems, recognising our diversity and resilience, and to unlock the many climate solutions that can be fostered in the region. Africans have known for thousands of years how to live and grow food across different ecosystems, so we must combine new solutions (for instance technology to predict rainfall) with traditional knowledge.
Across the food and climate fora, there were consistent calls to improve food and nutrition security in Africa, while ensuring that it does not come at the expense of nature and climate. This requires empowering farmers to adapt to climate change through improved practices, new technologies and financing mechanisms. On the margins of the Climate Summit, African national governments, donor countries and international funds announced commitments of around US$250 million for food systems transformation, while the Africa Food Systems Forum, through it’s Agribusiness Deal Room where innovators can pitch to investors, unveiled a pipeline of more than US$10 billion for implementation on the ground and in the water. These are encouraging signs but much more will be needed to enable systemic transformation and climate adaptation — it must be augmented by further mobilization of financial instruments, unlocking augmented resources from public, private and developmental partners to empower women and youth-led agribusinesses.
As more finance and resources become available, they must be directed to the most impactful solutions. There was a slight disconnect between calls to transform food systems and recognise the importance of the food-nature-climate nexus, and a continued focus on narrow topics like increasing production and improving access to trade and markets. The vast potential of regenerative agriculture to protect and restore nature was widely overlooked — all the more surprising given it is inherent in traditional farming approaches in Africa. Nevertheless, some key stakeholders recognise the importance of such approaches and energy is growing to shift away from intensive practices to those which work with nature rather than simply exploiting it. As Kenyan President Ruto said at the Climate Summit, “building on the wealth of indigenous knowledge, we can scale, enhance, and even monetize our agricultural systems.”
As we move towards the UNFCCC Climate COP28 in Dubai later this year, it is clear that food systems must be a central part of the region’s climate action, and that hinges on reducing food’s ecological footprint even as cultivation and production may expand. Several promising commitments have been made to support climate mitigation and adaptation for Africa’s food systems, but they can only be realised if the role of nature in food systems transformation is considered and Africa’s ecological assets are protected as the continent pursues a food secure future.
Smallholder farmers provide 70 percent of Africa’s food supply, yet they suffer from the most adverse impacts of climate change. Ministers have indicated they will push strongly for food systems action at COP28, given the importance of agriculture and fishing to African livelihoods. Adaptation finance needs to be unlocked and directed towards these smallholders and artisans, to ensure they can continue to produce food and act as critical stewards of climate and nature. Africa should not have to choose between development and climate action. These farmers should be front and centre of discussions at COP28, putting the human face to the impacts of climate change and food insecurity. Perhaps that way negotiators and financers will deliver the agreements that are needed.
Events in the past week have demonstrated Africa’s leadership in global climate action. Food and agriculture are at the heart of the continent’s climate solutions, and at the heart of a sustainable future. We must carry the spirit shown in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam to Dubai. Marrying action on food, nature and climate will ensure Africa’s food future is prosperous.
