Adapt to Thrive: Transforming Food Systems in Africa - The Case for Investing in Agroecology

Highlights:

This paper by ActionAid synthesises the findings of an extensive review of uptake of agroecology in 10 African countries: Ethiopia, the Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

It shows the viability of agroecology to solve multiple, often interlinked social, ecological and economic challenges, and what is needed to support this critical transition.

The study finds that agroecology delivers comparable or higher yields over time, reduces costs, improves profitability, strengthens resilience, is more inclusive and lowers public expenditure, making it a viable pathway for transforming Africa’s food systems -as illustrated in the figure below. 

Agroecology increases farm profitability. Farmers benefit from diversified income streams, lower input costs and improved food security. Agroecology shifts farmers from high-cost dependency to lower-cost and higher-margin production.

• Evidence shows that, after a 1-3-year transition period, agroecology can increase farm profitability, with studies in Kenya indicating an average 37.8% rise in profits.

• While synthetic input subsidies deliver limited ecological or nutritional returns, they continue to dominate national agricultural budgets – input subsidies make up 80% of the agricultural budget in Zambia and 50% in Zimbabwe.

Agroecology delivers comparable or greater yields than industrial agriculture – alongside improved nutrition and biodiversity. Yields drop initially in the transition period but bounce back within 3-5 years as ecological systems regenerate. But benefits accrue to farmers from year 1 of the transition period through reduced external input costs, crop diversification (key for nutrition and diversified income streams) and enhanced ecological resilience.

• Studies of agroecology initiatives show a 41% increase in cereal yields in Ghana, tripling of pigeon pea and sorghum yields in Tanzania and 100% increase in maize yields in Zambia, among many other project successes recorded across Africa.

Agroecology builds the climate resilience of food systems. Agroecological systems stabilise yields under dry and drought conditions, improve soil organic matter and restore ecosystem functioning. Agroecology builds system-level resilience, not just production gains. 

• Studies show that agroecological production is 2-4 times more energy efficient.

• It is recognised as a pathway for food system transformation in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Agroecology is more inclusive. Women are marginalised in decision making in food systems; they also have less access to inputs, land, capital and resources. Africa’s youth population is growing, presenting both a risk and an opportunity to drive the agroecological transition at scale, including through entrepreneurial opportunities.

• 66% of women’s employment is in agrifood systems, compared with 60% of men’s. Closing productivity and wage gaps would reduce global food insecurity by about 45 million people.

• 60% of Africa’s population is under the age of 25; 90% of working youth are in informal jobs with about 40% of them living in poverty.

The authors stress that here is now increasing recognition of agroecological practices in national and regional policy -as illustrated in the figure below.

• 15 African countries have developed or are developing national agroecology strategies.

• There is increasing consumer demand for pesticide-free food. Agroecology offers consumers access to safe, nutritious and locally produced food.

• The East African Legislative Assembly has called on governments to promote agroecology.

• 20 African governments and regional economic blocs have joined the Agroecology Coalition, embracing the transition toward agroecology.

The report insists that scaling agroecology, however, requires coordinated, system-wide action. Current policy, market and financing structures often favour industrial agriculture, creating barriers to adoption. To unlock agroecology’s full potential, African governments and funding partners must act across five key areas:

1. Reform policy and regulatory frameworks to align incentives with agroecological outcomes.

2. Build inclusive markets and value chains that connect producers and consumers.

3. Strengthen local input systems, particularly farmer- led seed systems and bio-input production.

4. Invest in knowledge systems, including extension, research and peer learning.

5. Mobilise long-term, accessible finance and shift public and donor investment.