AGRA Urges Greater Investment in Smallholder Farmers Amid Shifting Global Development Landscape
The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to transforming African agriculture, calling for increased investment in smallholder farmers amid growing global instability and shifting development priorities.
Speaking at a high-level reception for partners, donors, and government representatives, AGRA President Alice Ruhweza warned that recent changes in global development funding could jeopardize decades of progress.
Citing research by the Institute for Security Studies, she noted that these shifts could push an additional six million Africans into extreme poverty by 2026, threatening advances in agriculture, health, and climate resilience.
“We gather at a pivotal moment in international development. The ecosystem of support we’ve relied on for decades is changing fast,” said Ruhweza. “These global headwinds only emphasize the urgency of AGRA’s mission.”
Despite the challenges, AGRA has reached over 26 million smallholder farmers across 11 African countries, providing access to improved seeds, affordable fertilizers, and stronger market systems.
The organization has also supported 54 seed companies, trained over 500 agricultural scientists, and helped implement sustainable soil practices across 1.8 million hectares boosting cereal yields by 61 percent.
Ruhweza emphasized five strategic areas driving AGRA’s impact: policy and governance, seed systems, inclusive markets, youth and women empowerment, and private sector engagement.
She cited Tanzania’s agro-industrialization flagship program, expected to create one million jobs, as well as productivity-boosting women’s initiatives in Malawi and Uganda.Highlighting the transformative potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Ruhweza urged African nations to adopt bold, homegrown solutions.
“In a world turning inward, Africa must turn outward,” she said. “Hunger knows no borders neither does opportunity.”She said.
AGRA is now rallying African governments, private investors, and philanthropies to help fill the funding gap and ensure agriculture becomes a cornerstone of the continent’s prosperity.
