The Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Mr Claver Gatete, has called for urgent and practical steps to accelerate Africa’s food systems transformation.
Gatete made the call on Tuesday while addressing the Presidential Summit Plenary at the Africa Food Systems Forum 2025 in Dakar, Senegal, according to a statement from the Commission.
In spite of Africa’s vast arable land, abundant water resources, and a young population, the continent imported $115bn worth of food in 2024, a paradox, Gatete said must be addressed with urgency.
He noted that hunger continued to rise across Africa, even after more than a decade of implementing the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), highlighting the need for accelerated and coordinated action.
Gatete welcomed the newly adopted CAADP Strategy and Action Plan (2026–2035), which aimed to increase agrifood output by 45 per cent, halve post-harvest losses, and boost local food processing by 35 per cent.
He warned that the era of abundant foreign aid was over, stressing that Africa must now mobilise domestic resources and attract private investments, including pension funds, remittances, and green bonds, to finance agricultural transformation.
Gatete also called for the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to remove trade barriers and increase intra-African agrifood exports by nearly 60 per cent by 2045.
He outlined six key recommendations to drive food systems reform, including aligning national budgets with food system commitments and scaling up innovative financing for women and youth.
He also emphasised the importance of investing in rural infrastructure and placing young people at the centre of agricultural transformation.
“Transforming food systems is not just about feeding people.
“It’s about dignity, sovereignty, and securing Africa’s rightful place in the global economy,” Gatete said.
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
