Agriculture, the backbone of human civilisation, is puzzingly one of the most fragile systems we depend on. From climate shocks to supply chain disruptions, from degrading soils to shrinking water resources, the very foundations of global food security are under threat.
In the past three years alone, global food insecurity has spiked by a staggering 150%, according to the FAO and WFP. One in five people in Africa faced hunger in 2023, a striking contrast to the global figure of one in 11. By 2030, more than 582-million people will be chronically undernourished, more than half of them in Africa.
Sub-Saharan Africa, where nearly 46-million more people now face undernourishment, stands as both a victim and a potential vanguard in the race to transform agriculture. If left unchecked, this fragility could push millions into hunger, destabilise economies, and exacerbate inequality. Today, we are confronted with a choice: to apply temporary fixes to a fragile system or to commit to rebuilding one that is resilient, inclusive and equitable.
If urgent measures are not taken, our broken systems threaten to deepen hunger, stoke volatility and inflict irreversible damage on the planet’s ecological balance.
The global appetite for food is rising at an unprecedented rate, yet the systems meant to supply it are mired in inefficiency. By 2030, an additional 70- to 80-million hectares of cropland will be required, mostly in Africa and Latin America. Meanwhile, intra-African agricultural trade remains dismally low — under 20% of total volumes, according to the World Bank — while labour productivity stagnates and climate shocks multiply. The task before us is clear: we must scale what works, prioritise sustainability and make food systems engines of inclusive growth rather than incubators of crisis.
Governments, businesses and civil society must move beyond pledges to action. The B20 SA Sustainable Food Systems & Agriculture Task Force certainly provides an ideal blueprint for us to act. We cannot afford to delay.
The Task Force presents five interconnected priorities designed for practical implementation to the G20 next month, each aiming to rebuild resilience, improve equity and future-proof agricultural systems.
These include:
1. Strengthening resilience in agrifood supply chains
Our supply chains are vulnerable to disruption. From pandemic-era bottlenecks to climate-induced crop failures, the lack of regional sourcing and fragmented governance exacerbates systemic fragility. We must invest in post-harvest infrastructure, transparent value chains, and inclusive models that involve smallholders, women and youth, not as beneficiaries but as co-creators.
2. Enhancing access to productivity-boosting technologies
Productivity lags in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) largely because farmers lack access to affordable tools, digital platforms and climate-smart inputs. Less than 30% of Brazilian farmers use digital tools; in Africa, the figure is even lower. Addressing this gap could unlock exponential gains. Mechanisation, AI-powered agronomy and satellite-based soil diagnostics must be democratised, not reserved for industrial farms.
3. Promoting inclusive and equitable livelihoods
The agricultural workforce is overwhelmingly composed of the most marginalised: women, youth and smallholders. Yet financing and training programmes rarely target their needs. Embedding inclusion into climate strategies, via tailored capacity-building, enterprise development and blended finance, can turn vulnerability into vibrancy.
4. Fixing trade inefficiencies for resilience and scale
Trade is a high-impact, fast-moving lever. Up to 30% of food is lost post-harvest in LMICs, partly due to logistical fragmentation and poor infrastructure. By aligning standards, digitising customs and investing in strategic corridors under the African Continental Free Trade Area, the continent could unlock $180bn in agricultural exports, shifting from isolated markets to continental opportunity.
5. Accelerating the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices
Agriculture currently contributes up to one-third of global emissions. If farming does not shift towards regenerative models — practices that restore soil health, conserve water and protect biodiversity — the environmental cost will be devastating. Climate-smart agriculture and digital extension services must become standard, not supplementary.
The B20’s mandate is anchored in three imperatives: scaling technology and innovation across the value chain, fixing inefficiencies in trade and accelerating sustainability to protect both planet and people. This is not idealism, it is realism backed by evidence, urgency and practicality.
Food systems are foundational to health, prosperity and stability. Their dysfunction is not merely an agricultural concern, it is an economic, geopolitical and humanitarian liability. If we delay action, fragility will become normalised. If we act decisively, food systems can be harnessed as a force for global recovery.
Will we allow fragility to become normalised, or will we summon the will to transform? The challenge is formidable. But the opportunity is far greater.
This article was sponsored by B20 SA.
