Transforming Africa’s Food Systems Through Targeted Advocacy

At Walisha, we know that grassroots agricultural development projects alone cannot unlock the large-scale systems change Africa needs to sustainably boost productivity, resilience, and farmer prosperity. Top-down policy reform is equally vital as an accelerator and enabler.

That is why Walisha runs a high-impact agriculture policy advocacy program focused on urgently spotlighting priority agriculture reforms in front of key decision-making bodies across the continent. We believe the farm challenges presented by climate change, population pressures and lagging productivity growth make this sector-wide coordination urgent.

Specifically, Walisha lobbies for a unified pan-African agriculture policy that aligns government commitments on critical development targets – from doubling staple crop yields to halving post-harvest losses. Getting buy-in from heads of state, ministers and parliamentarians is vital to drive coordinated action. Equally, we advocate channelling greater financing by positioning substantive debt relief and innovative climate funds that can expand fiscal space for upgrading sustainable production systems.

Further, Walisha advocates channeling greater resources for agricultural development financing by lobbying international bodies and bilateral partners on substantive debt relief for African countries. Past debt relief initiatives directed significant funds into African agriculture which helped lift millions out of poverty in nations like Uganda.

Our advocacy strategy utilizes diverse levers – from policy papers articulating evidence-based reforms and their benefits to cultivating media partnerships and inspire youth networks on social media to shape public discourse and build unstoppable momentum for these causes from the ground up. Agriculture advocacy is essential to create enabling environments for on-ground change.

We cover enough political, policy and social bases to make agriculture transformation inevitable.

This twin track of agriculture prioritization mainstreamed into state policies and budgets combined with smart, green financing can be the recipe to secure Africa’s food future while empowering rural communities. We invite potential funders to join us in this visionary advocacy agenda.