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Unlocking Africa’s Future – Tailored Solutions to Build Resilience and End Hunger

Introduction

This year’s G20 summit in South Africa is a historic milestone, officially the first time it is held on the continent. As an African woman, I am honored to chair the B20’s Sustainable Food Systems and Agriculture Task Force during this historic summit in South Africa.

This is not just a geopolitical milestone; it is an opportunity to reframe our collective approach to food security, climate resilience, and sustainable development, especially for developing countries, which bear a disproportionate burden despite contributing minimally to the climate crisis. Africa’s population, now over 1.4 billion and projected to approach 2.5 billion by 2050, is the continent’s greatest asset and challenge.

Our small-scale farmers, more than half of the workforce, are the backbone of local and regional food systems. Yet, they are the most vulnerable to the intensifying impacts of climate change. Shockingly, as global hunger declines, it continues to rise in Africa.

Africa’s food future will be written by its smallholder farmers, and our responsibility is to put the right tools, training, and financing in their hands.

While Africa is often seen as a vulnerable continent, it holds immense potential: youth, agricultural land, community resilience, and an untapped capacity for sustainable transformation.

But to unlock this future, we need bold actions, driven by shared responsibility with the global community.

The G20 is a fantastic opportunity to build a supportive framework and implement policies that empower local solutions. By Debra Mallowah Chair of the B20 Task Force on Sustainable Food Systems & Agriculture and Board Member of CropLife Africa Middle East

Strengthening the resilience of agrifood supply chains

prolonged food crises. The proportion of the population facing hunger in Africa surpassed 20 percent in 2024, affecting 307 million people.
Therefore, strengthening the resilience of agrifood supply chains is crucial and it begins with supporting regional and local supply chains. Our recommendation is clear: there is a need to invest in regional sourcing and processing of food products, to increase participation of smallholder producers and small businesses, including women and youth, and to promote transparent governance.

Africa’s youth and women are not just beneficiaries of food systems transformation; they are the implementers. We should invest in them as entrepreneurs, not as bystanders.The private sector must become a central partner in this. This isn’t just about corporate responsibility; it’s about fostering sustainable markets, creating jobs, and ensuring food sovereignty.

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Categories Positions

Accelerating the Registration and Use of Biopesticides Crop Protection Products in the AME Region

Today, the Africa-Middle East region stands at a crossroads. It must confront the growing threats to food security posed by climate change, the rising pressures from pests and diseases, while also meeting the demands of a rapidly expanding population and enhancing its competitiveness in the global export market by producing food with fewer residues to satisfy the growing demand of conscious global consumers.
Compounding these challenges is the reality of the limited—and in many cases, dwindling—resources available to farmers. To navigate these complex issues, it is essential to equip farmers with tools that enable sustainable agricultural production: growing more food using fewer resources and minimising environmental impact. Biopesticides (BioPPPs) agents are one of the solutions that can deliver various benefits when effectively integrated into integrated pest management (IPM) programs. These are defined as pest management agents derived from natural sources, encompassing naturally occurring substances, beneficial organisms, and Biopesticide agents fall into four main categories with their unique
and novel modes of action, including:
1.Macrobials, including nature’s predators.
2.Microbials, which are based on microorganisms, including but not limited to bacteria, fungi, protozoans, viruses, and related.
3.Semiochemicals, such as pheromones and volatiles.
4.Biochemicals, including natural products, botanicals or plant extracts, peptides/proteins based substances, dsRNA, others
novel technologies.
They have complementary modes of action to conventional pesticides, which supports resistance management. When integrated with conventional pesticides, biopesticides synergistically enhance crop yields, extend application timings, and support effective resistance management strategies for farmers. They also contribute to reducing pesticide residues on crops, especially if applied closer to harvest, thereby improving consumer safety, and supporting the growth of export opportunities for local farmers, ultimately boosting rural incomes. Additionally, they present reduced environmental risks while remaining relatively safe to applicators. synthetic compounds either naturally occurring or synthesised, provided they are structurally similar and functionally identical to their naturally occurring
counterparts.

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Categories Positions

Accelerating the Registration and Use of Biopesticides Crop Protection Products in the AME Region

The benefits of BioPPPs stem from their integral role in integrated pest management (IPM), their ability to work synergistically with conventional pesticides, enhancing crop yields, supporting effective resistance management strategies for farmers, and contributing to reduced residue levels in crops. They improved soil health and have minimal negative effects on non-target organisms.
There are several proposals for the adoption of BioPPPs to be addressed together, such as:

Key Messages

  • The need for a clear definition of biopesticides, along with harmonization and dedicated regulatory frameworks. This includes implementing specific regulatory guidelines and dedicated staff, as well as adapting fast-track procedures to encourage the use of BioPPPs
  • Strengthening extension services and equipping farmers with technical knowledge and practical assistance to encourage the adoption of BioPPPs, while also raising public awareness of their benefits.
  • Improving the understanding of logistical challenges, specific handling requirements to ensure optimal performance of these novel BioPPPs technologies, and their cost competitiveness.
  • Encourage a collaborative approach through public-private partnerships that bring together all relevant stakeholders, including farmers, extension services, distributors, advisors, and industry, to facilitate knowledge exchange and support the successful integration and access to BioPPPs in agroecosystems.
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Categories Positions

The Hidden Threat to Africa Middle East’s Food Security: Illicit Pesticides

In the sun-baked fields of Nakuru County, Kenya, I stood beneath a sprawling acacia tree, witnessing a scene that would stay with me for years to come. A third-generation farmer, his weathered face etched with lines of worry, broke down in tears as he recounted how counterfeit crop protection products had nearly cost him his entire livelihood. This once-proud farm, intended as a legacy for his youngest son, now teetered on the brink of financial ruin. Fifty workers had already been let go; their futures as uncertain as the crops that struggled to thrive in soil tainted by fake pesticides.
This heart-wrenching story is far from unique. Across Africa and the Middle East, farmers face an insidious threat that jeopardizes not only their individual livelihoods but also the food security of entire regions. According to the EU Intellectual Property Office1 and the United Nations2, a staggering 14 percent of plant protection products worldwide are illicit. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimates that the global trade in illegal pesticides generates between USD $6 to $10 billion annually. These are not just numbers; they represent countless stories of devastation similar to the Kenyan farmer’s plight.
Illicit agrochemicals pose a multifaceted threat to sustainable development. Unlike their legitimate counterparts, these products are untested and unregulated. They can render agricultural land infertile through soil degradation, lead to low yields and crop failures, and contaminate groundwater. The impact extends far beyond individual farms, jeopardizing entire communities and ecosystems.
The solution to this crisis is neither simple nor quick, but it is essential. We must adopt a multipronged approach to dismantle the illegal supply chains that bring these fake products to market. This requires collaboration between governments, industry leaders, and local communities. By working together to stop the manufacture and supply of counterfeit products before they reach farmers, we can restore
in the agricultural sector and ensure healthy crops for communities across the region.
As an industry leader, CropLife Africa Middle East – representing the leading global manufacturers of pesticides, biopesticides, seeds and biotechnology – is at the forefront of this battle. We work closely with authorities and stakeholders to identify and take action against those engaged in these unlawful activities. Our commitment goes beyond protecting our bottom line; it’s about safeguarding the health and safety of workers, farmers, their crops, and the environment. But we’re not stopping there. The recently created Anti-Illicit Trade Working Group, under CropLife Africa Middle East, brings together representatives from leading companies in the industry to coordinate our efforts against counterfeit and illicit trade of agrochemicals. This collaborative approach is crucial in addressing a problem that transcends borders and individual companies.

However, we face a significant challenge: counterfeiting remains a low-risk, high-reward crime. Current penalties, often limited to fines, are insufficient deterrents. We are calling for stricter laws with harsher sentences that reflect the serious nature of these crimes. After all, these counterfeit products directly threaten people’s health, global food security, and our shared environment. The path forward requires commitment from all sectors of society. Farmers must be educated about the risks of using illicit products and how to identify them. Consumers need to understand the importance of supporting legitimate agricultural practices. Governments must strengthen and enforce regulations, while also investing in the infrastructure needed to detect and prevent the spread of fake agrochemicals.
As we stand at this critical juncture, the choice is clear. We can allow the scourge of illicit pesticides to continue undermining food security and farmer livelihoods, or we can take decisive action. By choosing the latter, we not only protect our agricultural heritage but also secure a sustainable future for generations to come.
The farmer I met in Nakuru County, and countless others like him across Africa and the Middle East, are counting on us to make the right choice. Let us rise to this challenge, working together to ensure that every farmer has access to safe, effective, and genuine agricultural products. Only then can we truly cultivate a future of prosperity and food security for all. For more information on how you can join this fight, visit www.croplifeafrica.org. Together, we can turn the tide against illicit crop protection products and sow the seeds of a brighter agricultural future.

AUTHOR: Charl Langley, Corporate Security Manager: Africa Middle East at Syngenta and Member of CropLife Africa Middle East Anti-Illicit Trade Working Group.

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Categories Non classé, Positions

Sustainable Pesticide Management Framework: Addressing the intertwined challenges of climate change, sustainable food systems and food security

In recent years, agriculture has gained significant attention during high-level discussions on climate change. The Africa Climate Summit and Africa Food Systems Summit that both took place
early September, and other similar platforms have rightly highlighted the importance of sustainable agricultural practices in mitigating climate change. While Africa has the potential to
feed the world and itself thanks to being the planet’s largest arable land, rising temperatures, extreme weather events, plant pests and diseases, leave millions of Africans experiencing hunger
and malnutrition; according to a UNCTAD’s 2022 report, nearly 60% of the African continent’s population experience food insecurity. Moreover, the alarming rate of inflation exacerbates this
precarious situation, making access to affordable and nutritious food even more challenging. Therefore, within current context of climate change, how to strike the balance between the
urgent need to transition towards sustainable food systems while unleashing Africa’s agricultural potential and therefore ensuring African people can afford three meals a day?
FAO estimates1 that, to satisfy the growing demand driven by population growth and dietary changes, food production will have to increase by 60% by 2050, which can notably be achieved thanks to the use of plant protection products (i.e., pesticides, biopesticides) recognized for their long-term role in sustainable agriculture and in ensuring food safety and food security. As this
must be achieved without jeopardizing our ecosystems or compromising the health and safety of our citizens, it is essential to recognize that the road to sustainable agriculture involves a combination of technological advancements, policy reforms, and collaborative efforts. It is in this context that, so far, CropLife Africa Middle East has launched the Sustainable Pesticide
Management Framework (SPMF) in two significant agricultural countries in the region: Kenya in 2021, and in Morocco in 2022, serving as a vital tool to address these intertwined challenges of
climate change, sustainable food systems and food insecurity. The SPMF is a proactive and longterm engagement over 5 years and for which over 13$ million dollars are being invested by the
industry. The core ambition of the SPMF is to protect human health, safeguard the environment and optimize agricultural productivity. It is based on three pillars: reducing reliance on Highly
Hazardous Pesticides 2 ; increasing innovation; ensuring responsible and effective use of plant protection solutions.

I am very proud to note that, both in Kenya and Morocco, the SPMF has already demonstrated changes, notably with regards to the fast-tracking adoption of low-risk products, the introduction of innovations within agriculture, and – via training programs and workshops -, the empowerment of farmers with the necessary skills and knowledge to adopt sustainable farming practices. The successful implementation of SPMF so far is possible, notably thanks to two key ingredients: the localization of the SPMF – as Africa’s agricultural systems vary significantly from a region to another, it is therefore imperative that any green transition strategies is adapted to local contexts -, and the collaborative approach. Indeed, coordinated efforts with key stakeholders along the food supply chain is key, and by working together – from farmers, researchers, policymakers, and other decision-makers – we can create a sustainable and resilient agricultural sector that not only increases productivity but also safeguards the well-being of our communities and environment. Still, a lot remains to be done. Moving forward, and in anticipation of COP28, it is important to recall that:

  • It is of utmost importance that leaders’ conversations center around finding the right balance between transitioning towards sustainable food systems while guaranteeing food security and preserving the livelihoods of farmers.
  • The attainment of a prosperous agriculture sector, capable of feeding an African population expected to double by 2050, while also meeting sustainability goals, requires:
  • appropriate legislative frameworks that foster agricultural innovation;
  • green transition strategies adapted to local contexts;
  • the removal of illegal pesticides (from the market) which cause the deaths of millions of people each year;
  • joint actions to reduce the potential risk associated to the use of pesticides as well as public-private partnerships.

As we cannot afford to delay action, let us seize this opportunity to strengthen collaboration, drive meaningful change, and make a lasting impact on the future of agriculture in Africa.

By Jerome Barbaron, President of CropLife Africa Middle East

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