https://en.sputniknews.africa/20260929/if-africa-plants-seeds-why-does-it-import-the-meal-fight-to-decolonize-food-systems--1089550799.html
If Africa Plants Seeds, Why Does It Import the Meal? Fight to Decolonize Food Systems
If Africa Plants Seeds, Why Does It Import the Meal? Fight to Decolonize Food Systems
Sputnik Africa
Experts have noted that Africa stands at a crossroads between becoming the “breadbasket of the world” and remaining trapped in food dependency. Despite... 29.09.2026, Sputnik Africa
2026-09-29T12:24+0200
2026-09-29T12:24+0200
2026-09-29T12:24+0200
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If Africa Plants Seeds, Why Does It Import the Meal? Fight to Decolonize Food Systems
Sputnik Africa
Experts have noted that Africa stands at a crossroads between becoming the “breadbasket of the world” and remaining trapped in food dependency. Despite abundant arable land and youthful labor, the continent imports billions in food annually. This episode explores what food sovereignty means for Africa today and why it matters.
Africa holds a vast part of the world's remaining uncultivated arable land, giving the continent the potential to become a global food powerhouse. Yet, year after year, this continent imports food worth tens of billions of dollars—grain, poultry, cooking oil, and fertilizer—much of it from outside Africa. That paradox sits at the heart of the latest episode of Pan-African Frequency, featuring Dr. Million Belay, an Ethiopian food systems thinker, and the Coordinator at the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa—Africa's largest civil society network championing agroecology and food sovereignty in Africa.He discussed how Africa’s food dependency is rooted in colonial and post-colonial trade arrangements and what it would take to decolonize African food systems in practice, not just in rhetoric.He also noted how Africa can leverage the experience of Russia—a major grain and fertilizer exporter to the continent—in grain production and support Africa’s effort to become self-sufficientTo listen to the whole conversation, tune in to the Pan-African Frequency podcast, brought to you by Sputnik Africa.In addition to the website, you can also catch our episodes on Telegram.► You can also listen to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, Pocket Casts, Afripods, and Podcast Addict► Check out all the episodes of Pan-African Frequency
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sputnik africa, africa, podcasts, russia-africa cooperation, food security , pan-africanism, sovereignty, agriculture, african continental free trade area (afcfta), development, grain, аудио
sputnik africa, africa, podcasts, russia-africa cooperation, food security , pan-africanism, sovereignty, agriculture, african continental free trade area (afcfta), development, grain, аудио
If Africa Plants Seeds, Why Does It Import the Meal? Fight to Decolonize Food Systems
Experts have noted that Africa stands at a crossroads between becoming the “breadbasket of the world” and remaining trapped in food dependency. Despite abundant arable land and youthful labor, the continent imports billions in food annually. This episode explores what food sovereignty means for Africa today and why it matters.
Africa holds a vast part of the world's remaining uncultivated arable land, giving the continent the potential to become a global food powerhouse. Yet, year after year, this continent imports food worth tens of billions of dollars—grain, poultry, cooking oil, and fertilizer—much of it from outside Africa. That paradox sits at the heart of the latest episode of Pan-African Frequency, featuring Dr. Million Belay, an Ethiopian food systems thinker, and the Coordinator at the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa—Africa's largest civil society network championing agroecology and food sovereignty in Africa.
He discussed how Africa’s food dependency is rooted in colonial and post-colonial trade arrangements and what it would take to decolonize African food systems in practice, not just in rhetoric.
“Africa's first responsibility is to nourish Africans. And that's what Africa food sovereignty is [...] The colonial agriculture somehow reorganized African farming around exports, mainly cocoa, coffee, and cotton, in other communities. So rather than diverse local food systems, we have inherited a monoculture system. And as this structure survived independence, we still export raw commodities and import processed food and agricultural inputs. That's a problem. Decolonization means rebuilding the African seed system, processing the agrarian markets, and researching food culture. Political independence without food system independence remains incomplete,” Dr. Belay explained.
He also noted how Africa can leverage the experience of Russia—a major grain and fertilizer exporter to the continent—in grain production and support Africa’s effort to become self-sufficient
“Russia is a bigger player, a very important player in international trade and international geopolitics. So, cooperation can support research, storage, logistics, processing, agronomy, and probably appropriate mechanization,” the expert stated.
To listen to the whole conversation, tune in to the
Pan-African Frequency podcast, brought to you by
Sputnik Africa.In addition to the website, you can also catch our episodes on
Telegram.► Check out all the episodes of Pan-African Frequency 
