World Food Day: It's not the aid that will feed Africa

World Food Day highlights challenges facing African farmers Africa’s small-scale farmers face a cycle of dependency on temporary aid projects, according to local producers. “We are helped for one or two years, then left alone,” said one farmer, describing the experience of millions of families across the continent. Projects often bring seeds, fertilizer, pumps, and training, improving harvests during their duration. But once funding ends, costs return, roads remain impassable, storage facilities are lacking, and prices collapse at selling time. More than 300 million Africans faced hunger in 2025, with many relying on farming for survival. Women make up nearly half of the agricultural workforce in sub-Saharan Africa, yet they often lack access to land, credit, or agricultural advice. Despite decades of development aid, much of it has been channeled into short-term projects designed elsewhere, creating isolated successes amid broader constraints. Basic needs such as roads, storage facilities, electricity, stable pricing, secure land rights, and accessible farm loans remain unmet. Three-year projects cannot address these issues, which require long-term government investment. A farmer representative stated, “We don’t need more funding, we need a government that sets a direction and sticks to it.” Farmers’ organizations are frequently consulted only after decisions are made, limiting their influence over policy. A cooperative leader noted, “We are asked for input on implementation, but the roadmap is decided without us.” The Catholic Church’s principle of subsidiarity emphasizes decision-making closest to those affected. Cooperatives that manage prices, store goods, and process produce have greater impact against hunger than short-term aid distributions, even generous ones. Public development aid declined by 23% in 2025, the largest drop in its history, according to the OECD. In France, proposed budget cuts for 2027 include another 1.9 billion euros reduction. Food insecurity can destabilize societies before causing deaths, fueling anger, rural exodus, and sometimes violence. Ensuring food security is not just a social necessity, it is a prerequisite for peace.