From Food Aid to Food Providers: African Farmers Push for a New Role in Crisis Recovery

Across Africa’s conflict-hit regions, farmers are trapped between hunger and hardship. Many are cut off from their fields, traders face perilous journeys on broken roads, and millions have been displaced from their homes. However, despite the devastation, small signs of renewal are emerging, especially in communities where peace is returning, and farmers are daring to plant again.

This fragile recovery was at the heart of discussions at the 6th Africa Resilience Forum, held in Abidjan from October 1–3, where agricultural experts, policymakers, and private sector players called for a paradigm shift, from seeing farmers as victims of food insecurity to empowering them as active providers of food aid and drivers of economic recovery.

“Without food, there is no peace,” declared Roland Fomundam, CEO of Cameroon’s Greenhouse Ventures, during a panel discussion titled “Achieving Resilient and Transformative Impact for Large-Scale Food Security in Africa.” Fomundam stressed that agricultural policies must no longer be drawn up in isolation from farmers themselves. “We need to reach out to them and discuss solutions that concern them,” he said.

His point resonated with Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), who emphasized that farmers represent the backbone of Africa’s private sector. “They invest; they find solutions. If we want better impact on our populations, we must start measuring how much we’ve improved producers’ incomes over time,” she noted.

Speakers agreed that shifting farmers from being aid recipients to aid providers requires smarter, better-structured investments. Too often, development efforts stop at project lists, missing the crucial step of creating bankable investment portfolios, initiatives that combine grants with concessional loans and strong technical support, especially in fragile settings.

Abdilhakim Yusuf Ali Ainte, Somalia’s Director of Food Security and Climate, shared lessons from his country’s experience, revealing how the Somali government had mobilized $6 billion in private investment to bolster food security and save lives. “The most important resource is the private sector,” Ainte said. “We need a dynamic private sector invited around the table to provide sustainable solutions.”

Martin Fregene, Director of Agriculture and Agribusiness at the African Development Bank (AfDB), echoed that rebuilding Africa’s food systems does not mean reinventing them. “Small and medium-sized enterprises already produce the food we eat,” he said. “What we must do is help them double their production and survive.”

Fregene highlighted how the AfDB is working directly with agricultural producers through financing, innovation support, and the development of climate-resilient infrastructure, alongside training and improved access to inputs. “We are building systems that outlast crises,” he explained.

Kenyan agripreneur Felista Nyakio called for a mindset shift, particularly among the youth. “Farming is often perceived as degrading work,” she said. “We need to make children see agriculture as a source of pride and national importance. Let’s get them to love farming.”

This renewed focus aligns with a growing policy trend. The World Food Programme (WFP) has already begun moving from traditional “food aid” to “food assistance” — an approach that channels more resources into local economies.

In Nigeria, for instance, WFP’s shift has enabled about $200 million annually to be invested through local food purchases, cash transfers, and e-vouchers for community markets.