Nairobi — Germany must put food sovereignty at the heart of its agricultural cooperation with Africa if it hopes to tackle rising food insecurity and climate change impacts, a new report by Power Shift Africa and Germanwatch warns.
The joint policy brief, titled "What is the Missing Ingredient? The German Agriculture and Food Strategy for Africa 2025", urges a rethink of Germany's approach to supporting African agriculture. The authors argue that Africa's food future must be shaped by African-led, climate-resilient solutions rooted in agroecology and local food systems.
"African nations must have the right to control their agricultural futures," said Amy G. Thorp, Programmes Manager at Power Shift Africa. "For too long, multinational corporations have dominated the food system, leaving smallholder farmers dependent on external inputs like seeds and agrochemicals."
In 2023, 868 million people in Africa faced food insecurity, including 342 million suffering from severe hunger - a crisis worsened by climate disruptions like droughts and floods. The brief warns that Germany's current strategy does not go far enough in addressing the root causes of this crisis.
While acknowledging that Germany's Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) has taken steps to incorporate agroecology into its strategy, the authors say this falls short of fully embedding food sovereignty - the right of communities to control their own food systems.
"Food sovereignty is a prerequisite to securing the right to food, as enshrined in international law," said Lazarus Nanzala, Policy and Advocacy Advisor at the SDG2 Advocacy Hub. "We must break away from extractive trade structures and invest in African-led, climate-resilient food systems that cultivate dignity, self-reliance, and justice."
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The brief also calls for a stronger focus on climate resilience. "Agriculture is on the frontlines of climate change--but it can also be part of the solution," said Lina Adil, Climate Policy Advisor at Germanwatch. "Germany's strategy must align food production with adaptation and ecosystem restoration to truly transform agricultural landscapes."
Experts also urge BMEL to learn from past mistakes. Previous strategies, they argue, failed to address systemic issues such as land rights, seed sovereignty, and market access for local farmers.
Bridget Mugambe, Programs Coordinator at the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), added: "Across Africa, ultra-processed imports are undercutting local farmers and eroding nutrition. Germany must champion territorial markets and sustainable food systems, not just food security."
The report concludes that without a shift towards food sovereignty, efforts to strengthen Africa's agriculture will fall short. It calls on Germany and other global partners to support African-led initiatives and build equitable, resilient food systems from the ground up.
