A new report released today warns that Africa is on the verge of a severe food crisis, with nearly 300 million people already undernourished. The 2025 Africa Food Systems Report (AFSR) projects that without immediate, coordinated reform, the continent could become the global epicenter of hunger by 2030.
The report, themed Drivers of Change and Innovation in Africa’s Food Systems, highlights both the urgency of the situation and the continent’s immense potential to transform its agricultural sector. It argues that while Africa possesses the necessary tools, from climate-smart farming to digital finance and strengthened governance, incremental change is not enough.
“The evidence is clear: Africa cannot feed its future with the tools of the past,” the report states. “We must invest not just in seeds and soil, but in the governance, finance, and infrastructure that empower farmers as entrepreneurs and innovators.”
The AFSR pinpoints four critical areas where targeted action is needed:
- Governance as a Game-Changer: The report found a direct correlation between strong governance and lower hunger rates. Fragile states with weak governance, for instance, report food insecurity rates above 80%, underscoring that good governance is the very foundation of a resilient food system.
- Sustainable Farming Under Pressure: Despite some gains, African crop yields remain significantly below global averages. Cereal yields, at 1.7 tons per hectare, are less than half the global average of 4.2 tons. The report warns against the practice of “extensification”—farming more land instead of increasing productivity per hectare—which harms soil health and ecosystems.
- Finance as the Missing Link: Africa’s agriculture sector, which is central to its economies, receives less than 5% of commercial bank lending. The report calls for scaling up innovative financial tools like digital credit and agricultural insurance to unlock growth and resilience.
- Infrastructure as the Backbone: Poor infrastructure is responsible for up to 30% of food loss before it even reaches markets. Closing the estimated annual infrastructure financing gap of $67–108 billion could halve post-harvest losses and boost farmer incomes by as much as 40%.
The report emphasizes that transforming Africa’s food systems is not a choice, but a necessity for its future prosperity and stability. With the continent’s population projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, the cost of inaction would be measured in economic stagnation, social unrest, and lost opportunities for Africa’s youth.
The 2025 CAADP Kampala Declaration, endorsed by African Union member states, provides a blueprint for this transformation. It calls for policies that prioritize farmers, particularly women and youth, integrate sustainability, and leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to boost intra-African agricultural trade.
Dr. John Ulimwengu, Lead Author of the 2025 AFSR, stated, “This report is a roadmap for systemic transformation. By aligning investments, strengthening institutions, and leveraging innovation, the continent can build inclusive agri-food systems that deliver decent jobs, healthy diets, and sustainable growth for all.”