Smallholder farmers central in Africa's food system transitioning

African smallholder farmers are central in the transitioning to nature-positive, sustainable, and climate-resilient food production systems across the continent. Smallholder farmers, who produce more than 70 percent of staple food, should be involved in formulating policies to facilitate a transition to agricultural practices that conserve habitats while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Delegates gathered for the Africa Protein Summit held on Thursday in Kenya's capital Nairobi said that that Africa's pursuit of a food-secure, green, and resilient future hinges on the adoption of ecologically sound farming practices at the smallholder level. The delegates, who included senior policymakers, representatives of civil society, academia, and industry, renewed the call for a smallholder-led overhaul of food systems to tackle Africa's hunger crisis.

Philip Kilonzo, head of policy, advocacy and communications at Nairobi-based Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, said the continent is poised for a transition to a future free from hunger and malnutrition and resilient to climate emergencies, through the scaling up of smallholder farmers' innovations.

Million Belay, the general coordinator of the civil organization Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Uganda, pointed out that smallholder farmers and livestock keepers are fundamental in swiftly adopting culturally and environmentally friendly food production systems.

Referring to them as custodians of a vast wealth of genetic diversity, Belay said that African smallholder farmers and herders are in a prime position to promote the cultivation of traditional foods that are nutritious and resistant to pests, diseases, and climatic stresses. He urged governments and donors to support these farmers in implementing agroecological practices that ensure food security, habitat regeneration, and reduced emissions of greenhouse gases.

Tennyson Williams, regional director for Africa at the global lobby group World Animal Protection, said there is a need to empower smallholder farmers through capacity building, sustained funding, and awareness creation to facilitate food systems transformation, achieve climate resilience, and improve rural livelihoods.