Food insecurity continues to be the most daunting problem confronting many countries worldwide. ‘Food security’ is not just a matter of merely agricultural production; instead, it involves three linked domains: Availability, Accessibility, and Affordability. Production, utilization, stocks and trade are the major determinants of availability. Accessibility is based on an effective distribution system, whereas affordability involves enhancing the purchasing power of rural poor people in order to afford food.
India’s agriculture sector is most important to its economy, as 70% of the rural population relies on agriculture. Even though the 1970s’ Green Revolution made India self-sufficient in food grain production, it has also caused ecological degradation, water table depletion, and socio-economic inequalities. Various initiatives have been initiated under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to promote sustainable agricultural development, with the emphasis moving from just productivity to profitability like Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana for irrigation improvement, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana for insurance of crops, e-NAM (Electronic National Agriculture Market) for promoting price information and integration of markets, etc. Furthermore, India is focusing on digital agriculture, climate-resilience measures, and farmers’ integration into new value chains. India grows enormous amounts of cereal and has a large buffer stock with a total food production of 330 mn tonnes in 2023 (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare). Yet, India ranks 105th/127th in the Global Hunger Index, and a large number of Indians go to bed hungry because of the affordability issue.
Similarly, in Africa, the problem is even more intricate with more than 232 million under-nourished people, although the continent can not only be food self-sufficient but also become a world food basket. African nations can harness their resources—land, water, human capital, knowledge, and markets—to end food insecurity and compete in international food markets with the proper assistance. Interestingly, Africa has almost 60% of the globe’s available but unused arable land and is forecast to increase its working population to nearly 1 billion by 2030. In the 1960s, a number of African countries were food self-sufficient. Poor policymaking, however, led the agricultural industry, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, to decline. Governments relied majorly on Western countries’ and aid agencies’ food aid. Droughts, famines, long-lasting conflicts, and civil wars further compounded the crisis. Excessive focus on cash crops such as cocoa and coffee instead of food crops further exacerbated food insecurity. In addition, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) in the 1980s forced most African countries to remove agricultural subsidies, with decreasing state investments coupled with lower productivity.
Major issues faced by Africa are agri-business, with only two-thirds of Africa’s population engaged in it accounting for less than one-third of Africa’s GDP. While Africa has immense phosphate deposits, it only consumes 5% of the world’s fertilizer. High fertilizer prices and transportation costs continue to be deterrents. Tight import controls and a weak, high-cost domestic seed sector with few research laboratories and no credit facilities inhibit productivity. Inadequate farm-to-market value chains result in post-harvest losses amounting to an average of 30% of total production. Farmers are unable to provide collateral for bank loans and, therefore, are ineligible for microfinancing. Foreign investment in African land commonly results in displacement, environmental degradation, and broken promises.
The African Union (AU) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have given high priority to agricultural development through several key initiatives. The High-5 priority projects include Light up and Power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialize Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa. Feeding Africa – An Action Plan for Transforming Agriculture in Africa aims to make Africa a net exporter of agricultural commodities by scaling up agriculture as a business through value addition. It has a goal of lifting 320 million people out of undernourishment and unleashing Africa’s agribusiness potential (estimated to be over $100 billion by 2025). Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) is an initiative under Agenda 2063 which aims to eliminate hunger and reduce poverty. CAADP has four key areas: Sustainable management of land and water, improving access to markets, boosting food availability and alleviating hunger and promoting agricultural research and technology transfer.
To effectively deal with food security issues, India and Africa need to move beyond policy debates focused on implementation-oriented strategies. India can help Africa adopt advanced farm practices, precision agriculture, and affordable irrigation systems. India’s expertise in food processing and cold storage facilities can assist Africa in minimizing post-harvest losses and accessing markets. Joint agri-research institutions, training and farmer exchange programs will increase knowledge transfer. Promoting organic fertilizers, climate-resilient crops, and eco-friendly agricultural practices will lead to food security in the long run. Both regions need to cut down tariff barriers and make trade rules simpler to enable easy agricultural exports and imports.
With India and Africa strengthening their collaboration, the attention has to be drawn towards creating strong and autonomous food systems. Their cooperation over the next ten years could be developed through a number of initiatives, like increased investment in agri-tech startups to spur innovation, extension of India’s digital agriculture platforms to African markets, greater participation in climate-resilient agriculture to fight food insecurity, etc. By pooling their complementary strengths, Africa and India can not only become self-sufficient in food production but also be hosts to the world’s food. India and Africa together have the potential to change the face of agriculture in both countries and usher in a sustainable, hunger-free world.
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