Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has called for a renewed commitment to transforming Africa’s food systems through large-scale investment, innovation, and regional collaboration. Speaking at the opening of the African Food Systems Forum 2025 in Diamniadio, near Dakar, President Faye stressed the urgency of addressing structural challenges in agriculture that continue to impede food security across the continent.
Faye noted that millions of African farmers, particularly smallholders, continue to rely on rain-fed agriculture with limited access to modern tools and infrastructure. He argued that such dependence on seasonal rainfall exposes agricultural production to significant risks, especially as climate change increasingly disrupts weather patterns. “Investing massively in modernisation, water management, local transformation and digitalisation is no longer optional but an urgent necessity,” he remarked.
The Senegalese head of state emphasised that climate variability not only undermines yields but also constrains agricultural output both temporally and geographically. This, he cautioned, perpetuates food insecurity and malnutrition in many African regions, making the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2—to end hunger by 2030—increasingly challenging.
The forum, which will run until 5 September under the theme “Driving Collaboration, Innovation and Delivery in Food Systems Transformation”, has convened policymakers, experts, and leaders from across the continent, including Rwandan President Paul Kagame. The gathering seeks to advance strategies for strengthening Africa’s food production and distribution systems while fostering cross-border cooperation.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Africa is home to around 60 percent of the world’s uncultivated arable land, yet the continent still imports significant quantities of food annually. This paradox reflects long-standing issues such as limited mechanisation, inadequate irrigation infrastructure, post-harvest losses, and restricted access to agricultural financing.
Regional initiatives such as the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 highlight the centrality of agriculture in advancing inclusive growth and resilience. However, progress has been uneven, with many countries grappling with financing gaps, governance challenges, and external shocks, including climate-related disasters and geopolitical disruptions to global food supply chains.
By underscoring both the vulnerabilities and opportunities within Africa’s food systems, President Faye’s intervention situates agriculture not merely as a sector of subsistence but as a strategic lever for continental development, sovereignty, and stability. As the forum continues, discussions are expected to revolve around harnessing technology, strengthening intra-African trade, and mobilising both public and private investment to accelerate the transition towards resilient, self-sustaining food systems.
