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.