What two decades of partnership with AGRA have taught us

Reflections on progress, missed goals and the future of African agriculture.

I'm often asked why the Gates Foundation invests in agriculture in Africa. The answer is simple: agriculture is a critical driver of inclusive economic growth and human development. It employs around two thirds of Africa's population - 60 percent of whom are women. And it's the continent's priority: African governments committed to a shared agenda for agricultural transformation through CAADP in 2003, and all 55 AU member states renewed that commitment in the 2025 Kampala CAADP Declaration.

To help African governments achieve that vision, AGRA was founded in 2006. AGRA set ambitious goals for 2020: doubling productivity and incomes for 20 million smallholder households and halving hunger and food insecurity across 20 countries. These goals were not met, and civil society organizations have urged accountability for this failure. We agree. As a longtime funder, we share responsibility. Hunger across Africa remains unacceptably high, and progress in agricultural productivity has not translated into the improved food security and farmer incomes that are needed.

AGRA's Learning and Foresight report, released earlier this year as part of its 20-year review, offers a candid assessment of both progress and shortcomings. Since 2005, cereal yields across Africa have risen by about 40 percent and farm output has nearly doubled in real terms. Yet hunger has not declined, and farmer incomes remain too low.

Following a 2022 evaluation that found mixed outcomes for farmers, AGRA adjusted its strategy. We continued investing because its new approach was more closely aligned with countries' own priorities and placed greater emphasis on connecting farmers to finance and markets. But continued investment cannot mean business as usual. It must mean learning from what fell short, listening to farmers, governments, civil society, and critics, and being willing to change course. Our responsibility is not simply to stay committed to African agriculture, but to ensure our investments deliver better results for the farmers and families they are intended to serve. We remain committed to that work for the long haul.

As AGRA's new president Alice Ruhweza wrote recently:

Over the past two decades, AGRA and its partners have helped build key components of the agricultural system that farmers depend on to succeed. By supporting about 35,000 agro dealers and 118 African seed companies-helping bring more than 650 improved seed varieties to market-they have expanded the capacity to develop and supply seeds that can help farmers improve their harvests.

Investments in agricultural research, advisory services and access to inputs have also helped build the infrastructure farmers need to make better decisions, increase productivity and earn more from their land. These are important foundations for a more productive and prosperous agricultural sector.

In Malawi, where AGRA marked its 20th anniversary earlier this year, the agriculture minister credited AGRA's partnership with the government for helping release 31 improved crop varieties, making more than 16,600 metric tons of certified seed available, training 29 agricultural scientists to master's and PhD level, and expanding the base of local seed companies. These achievements help connect research to the realities of farming: giving farmers more options for the crops they grow, building local capacity to supply quality seed, and developing expertise that can respond to farmers' needs.

The challenges facing farmers across sub-Saharan Africa are immense, and no single organization or approach can address them all. Crop yields in sub-Saharan Africa are half those in India and one-fifth those in the United States, reflecting significant constraints on soil quality and productivity. Climate-driven extreme weather, El Niño, conflict and fertilizer price shocks linked to the Iran crisis are adding further pressure. The Hormuz blockade alone disrupted around a third of global fertilizer exports. Scientific assessments also warn that a 2°C rise in global temperatures could reduce crop yields in sub-Saharan Africa by about 10 percent.

In sub-Saharan Africa, fertilizer use averages just 22.6 kg/ha, around one-seventh of the global average, so our foundation is investing in biofertilizers that help crops absorb nutrients and improve soil health. In some crops, biofertilizers could cut farmers' costs by up to 70 percent, and in Brazil, those developed by Embrapa save farmers an estimated $25 billion a year in nitrogen fertilizer costs. We're also supporting digital soil mapping and tools like Virtual Agronomist, developed in Kenya, which helps farmers identify which fertilizers their soils need, in what quantities and when to apply them. It already reaches more than 1.3 million small farms across seven countries. Finally, we are investing in modern breeding of crops that have long received too little research attention, from teff and cassava to sorghum, millet and fonio, to unlock higher yields and more reliable harvests in a changing climate.

The realities of farming across sub-Saharan Africa are complex, and there is no single path to growth and prosperity. Our foundation's approach is to back governments' own agricultural development plans and give farmers the options and support they need to increase productivity and grow their incomes.

My mom's farm in Zimbabwe illustrates why that flexibility matters. Faced with the challenges of climate change, repeated El Niño droughts and rising fertilizer costs, she has adapted her farming practices in several ways: planting more climate-resilient crops like millet and sorghum, using improved hybrid seeds, and supplementing costly mineral fertilizer with homemade organic alternatives.

Despite different perspectives on how best to advance African agriculture, our foundation shares important ambitions with other organizations and partners. These include reducing dependence on imported inputs, making African countries less vulnerable to global price shocks, and creating more prosperous farming communities.

Achieving these ambitions will take time and sustained effort, particularly given the many pressures facing farmers. We welcome more partners, ideas and solutions, and take calls for greater accountability seriously. By working together, we can help farming families across Africa increase their incomes and build lasting prosperity.