African agricultural leaders push for agroecology investment and improved trade

Stakeholders at the Second Congo Basin Convening in Yaoundé, Cameroon, have called for at least 30 percent of public investments in food systems to be dedicated to agroecology. Participants urged the African Union Commission and member states to integrate agroecology into the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Strategy and Action Plan for 2026–2035, noting that such initiatives currently remain largely limited to pilot levels due to fragmented policies.

In Southern Africa, discussions at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit highlighted agriculture's role in economic development, accounting for approximately 10 percent of the GDP for many member states. Experts identified three primary hurdles to growth: weak land governance and informal tenure, inadequate road networks for perishable goods, and trade frictions. Recent tensions have seen countries such as Namibia, Botswana, and Mozambique signal intentions to limit fruit and vegetable imports from South Africa, complicating market access for regional farmers.