In a continent grappling with widespread hunger and increasing reliance on food imports, the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) has sounded a stark warning about the insidious influence of big business interests on African agriculture. AFSA, a network of farmers’ organizations, pastoral groups, and civil society organizations, has been at the forefront of resisting corporate encroachment on food sovereignty and indigenous knowledge systems.
At a recent press conference, AFSA exposed how the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), a Gates Foundation-backed initiative, is using its “outsized power” to shape agricultural policies across the continent. According to AFSA, AGRA employs a two-pronged strategy: strategic financial backing and the placement of consultants in government institutions to promote industrial models detrimental to smallholder farmers.
“The Green Revolution is a mirage; it’s colonization in disguise,” Sarah Haloba from the Zambian Governance Foundation told investigators. “AGRA and the Gates Foundation are false prophets of food security. Their industrial approach degrades soils, destroys biodiversity, and places corporate profits over people.”
AFSA’s revelations have sparked outrage among African faith leaders, who have demanded reparations from the Gates Foundation for the damage caused by AGRA’s initiatives. “Gates and big agribusiness are playing God,” said Bishop Takalani Isaac Mufamadi.
The Alliance has also highlighted the disastrous consequences of Green Revolution policies in countries like Zambia. A recent report by the African Centre for Biodiversity revealed that Zambia’s food system is on the brink of collapse due to soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and vulnerability to climate shocks. These problems can be traced back to the overuse of synthetic fertilizers and monocultures, which AGRA has been promoting.
Mary Sakala, a Zambian farmer, shared her firsthand experience with the devastating impacts of these policies. “We used to grow diverse crops. But now governments and agribusiness have pushed farmers into monoculture that depends on inputs. Their programs have made us all vulnerable.”
AFSA’s exposé has exposed the extent to which corporate interests are shaping Africa’s agricultural future. It’s a wake-up call for policymakers and civil society organizations to resist the encroachment of industrial agriculture and prioritize the needs of smallholder farmers and indigenous communities. As the continent grapples with the challenges of food insecurity and climate change, the choices made today will have far-reaching consequences for generations to come.
