The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has called on African governments and parliaments to prioritise agricultural sovereignty as a strategic pathway to securing the continent’s future, warning that chronic underinvestment in the sector continues to undermine Africa’s ability to feed itself and achieve sustainable economic growth.
Addressing delegates at a plenary session of the 4th Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family, Sovereignty and Values in Accra on Thursday, the Minister emphasized that Africa’s quest for sovereignty would remain incomplete if the continent continued to depend heavily on imported food despite its vast arable lands, favourable climatic conditions and youthful population.
According to him, agricultural sovereignty extends beyond food production to include the ability of nations to determine their own food systems, protect local farmers, preserve indigenous agricultural knowledge and guarantee food security for future generations.
“Food sovereignty is a critical pillar of national sovereignty. A continent that cannot adequately feed itself remains vulnerable to external shocks, global market disruptions and rising food prices,” he stated.
Hon. Opoku further highlighted growing threats facing the agricultural sector across Africa, including climate change, food insecurity, biodiversity loss and increasing dependence on imported food products, which he said continue to weaken local production systems and expose countries to global supply chain disruptions.
He therefore advocated stronger support for local farmers, sustainable agricultural practices and policies that promote healthy and culturally appropriate food production across the continent.
The Minister called for increased investment in agroecology, local seed systems and agricultural diversification as essential tools for building resilient food systems capable of withstanding climate-related shocks while preserving Africa’s rich agricultural heritage.
He expressed concern that more than two decades after African leaders adopted the Maputo Declaration in 2003, many countries have failed to honour their commitment to allocate at least 10 per cent of national budgets to agriculture and rural development.
The commitment, he noted, was reaffirmed under subsequent continental frameworks, including the Kampala Declaration, with the objective of unlocking Africa’s vast agricultural potential, creating jobs and accelerating economic transformation.
“Evidence across the continent suggests that many countries are yet to fulfil this commitment. In some countries, agriculture receives less than one per cent of their national budget. Others allocate only two or three per cent, while some provide as little as 0.6 per cent. Such levels of investment are grossly inadequate for a sector that employs the majority of Africa’s workforce,” he lamented.
Hon. Opoku observed that although agriculture remains the backbone of many African economies, the sector continues to suffer from inadequate financing, poor infrastructure, limited mechanisation, low productivity and restricted access to modern technologies.
He argued that these challenges have contributed to persistent food insecurity, rising food import bills and the inability of many countries to maximise opportunities across agricultural value chains.
To reverse the trend, the Minister urged governments to move beyond policy declarations and demonstrate commitment through increased investments in irrigation, agricultural research, extension services, rural roads, storage facilities, agro-processing industries and climate-smart farming technologies.
He also called for targeted interventions to empower smallholder farmers, particularly women and young people, who form a significant proportion of Africa’s agricultural workforce and play a critical role in food production.
Touching on the role of legislators, Hon. Opoku challenged parliamentarians across Africa to actively champion agricultural transformation by demanding accountability from governments and ensuring that agriculture receives the attention it deserves during national budget processes.
“Parliaments have a constitutional responsibility to exercise oversight over public expenditure and government policy implementation. They must hold the executive accountable and ensure that promises made to African citizens are translated into concrete budgetary commitments and measurable outcomes,” he said.
He added that lawmakers must scrutinise agricultural spending, monitor implementation and insist that agreed continental targets are respected.
“Parliamentarians must demand answers when agricultural allocations fall below agreed continental targets. They must ensure that agriculture receives the resources necessary to drive national development and guarantee food security for our people,” he emphasised.
Hon. Opoku concluded that achieving agricultural sovereignty would not only strengthen Africa’s resilience against global economic uncertainties but would also preserve the dignity, independence and prosperity of future generations, making it an essential component of the continent’s broader agenda on family values, sovereignty and sustainable development.
The conference, being held under the theme “Consolidating Parliamentary Consensus: Advancing the African Charter on Family, Sovereignty and Values,” is expected to conclude on Friday with further deliberations on family values, governance, sovereignty and sustainable development across the African continent.
By: Christian Kpesese
