Africa must shift from fragmented agricultural interventions to a fully integrated, systems-based approach if it is to unlock meaningful transformation of its food systems, according to Hailemariam Desalegn.

Speaking in Uganda following meetings with Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Desalegn—who chairs the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa—argued that the continent’s current approach to agriculture remains too fragmented to deliver lasting impact.

He emphasised that Africa must treat agriculture as a complete value chain, integrating production, processing, trade, and innovation.

“Agriculture cannot be transformed through isolated interventions,” he said, calling instead for a coordinated systems model that links farmers to markets and industrial value chains.

Agro-industrialisation as the “missing link”

At the centre of this approach is what Desalegn described as integrated agro-industrialisation, which he labelled the “master key” to unlocking agricultural transformation.

According to him, this model creates both backward linkages—supporting production through inputs such as seeds and fertilisers—and forward linkages that connect farmers to processing industries and markets.

The push reflects a broader shift in thinking across the continent, where policymakers are increasingly focusing on value addition and industrialisation as critical drivers of agricultural growth.

A paradox of potential and food insecurity

Desalegn highlighted a persistent contradiction: despite vast agricultural resources, Africa remains home to nearly 600 million food-insecure people.

“We eat what we do not produce and produce what we do not consume,” he said, underscoring inefficiencies across production, processing, and trade systems.

This mismatch, he argued, is rooted in weak input systems, poor infrastructure, and limited market integration—challenges that continue to suppress productivity and increase reliance on imports.

AGRA, a pan-African institution established to catalyse agricultural transformation, has focused on strengthening seed systems, markets, and policy environments to support smallholder farmers and improve food security.

Trade and infrastructure bottlenecks persist

While Desalegn acknowledged the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), he warned that implementation remains slow.

“The agreement exists at policy level, but we must translate it into operational reality,” he said.

Key constraints include poor logistics, weak infrastructure, non-tariff barriers, and a lack of harmonised standards across borders. These challenges continue to limit intra-African trade and undermine the competitiveness of locally produced agricultural inputs.

He also pointed out that inefficiencies in regional trade systems often make imported inputs more competitive than those produced within Africa—an issue that further weakens local value chains.

Call for coordinated reform

Desalegn urged governments to prioritise investment in infrastructure, digital systems, and input supply chains, alongside stronger policy alignment across sectors.

President Museveni, in turn, commended AGRA’s role in advancing agricultural innovation and policy support, stressing the need for practical, locally adapted solutions.

He highlighted Uganda’s focus on water harvesting systems and irrigation expansion as part of efforts to modernise agriculture and reduce vulnerability to climate variability.

The path forward

The call for a systems approach aligns with growing consensus that Africa’s agricultural transformation will depend on coordinated action across the entire food system—from farm-level productivity to regional trade integration.

Without this shift, experts warn that the continent risks continuing a cycle of underperformance, where strong agricultural potential fails to translate into food security and economic growth.

As Desalegn’s remarks suggest, the next phase of Africa’s agricultural development will not be defined by isolated gains, but by how effectively the continent can integrate its food systems into a cohesive, functioning whole.