In Africa, climate change could cause agricultural production to decrease by 18% by 2050, while it would be necessary to triple it to feed a larger population. How can we combine the efforts of states, researchers, donors and the private sector to enable farmers to continue producing despite uncertainties?
Irrigation, resistant varieties, cash payments to farmers in the event of a bad harvest… It is a set of solutions that must be implemented quickly in the face of climate change. But onyl about ten African states dedicate 10% of their budget to agriculture as promised and foreign donors continue to neglect it.
Pull in the same direction
« African agriculture receives less than 5% of international public aid, despite being the magic wand for achieving practically all sustainable development goals, complains Augustin Grandgeorge, who heads the Atlas Initiative, a permanent laboratory on African agricultural transitions that brings together governments, donors, the private sector and researchers, and which hopes to reverse the trend. The question is how to mobilize all these investments, which priorities we finance, how to all move in the same direction. Thus, it requires both support and political dialog. »
Support public agricultural banks
Africa’s public agricultural banks have an important role to play in attracting private financing.“ This is what we try to work on as a public development agency in our public policy dialogue with African states and in all the work we do with the continent’s agricultural banks, explains Matthieu Le Grix, of the French Development Agency. In particular we have undertaken a lot of work with Fida [Fonds international de développement agricole] around a coalition of public agricultural banks to exchange experiences, methods, definition of adequate financial products, and for the most advanced agricultural banks, such as Crédit Agricole du Maroc, to share their experience with banks that have fewer human and financial resources innovate. »
Reassure commercial banks
A subsidiary of Moroccan nitrogen fertilizer giant OCP, InnovX is committed to supporting small-scale farmers in West Africa. This helps convince commercial banks to finance them. “ Our role is to come and show them that this farmer, this is how we “reduce” him to risks, explains its vice-president Younes Addou. By implementing various solutions such as access to a market for its production, access to infrastructure so that its production does not rot, access to adequate inputs, capable of improving the quality of its soil and therefore productive yields and its resilience. »
To reassure banks, InnovX also offers producers yield insurance that compensates up to 70% of crop losses.
What innovative agricultural practices are being implemented in Africa to combat climate change?
Interview: Combating Climate Change in African Agriculture with Augustin Grandgeorge and Matthieu Le Grix
Q: Thank you for joining us today, Augustin Grandgeorge, head of the Atlas Initiative, and Matthieu Le Grix from the French Advancement Agency. Let’s start with the broader issue: How is climate change affecting agricultural production in Africa?
Augustin Grandgeorge: Thank you for having us.Climate change poses a significant threat to African agriculture. Our studies indicate that by 2050,agricultural production could decrease by as much as 18% as a direct result of climate change,while at the same time,we’ll need to triple production to feed an ever-growing population. This juxtaposition is alarming and requires urgent action from all sectors.
Q: What must be done to reconcile these opposing needs?
Matthieu le Grix: It’s essential to implement a comprehensive set of solutions quickly. this includes improving irrigation systems, developing more resilient crop varieties, and introducing cash payments to farmers during bad harvests. However, the current focus on these areas is insufficient; only about ten African states allocate 10% of their national budgets to agriculture, despite international commitments.
Q: Augustin, you mentioned the role of public policies and support mechanisms. Can you elaborate on that?
Augustin Grandgeorge: absolutely. We must mobilize investments through political dialog. African agriculture receives less than 5% of international public aid, which is concerning as agriculture is critical for achieving nearly all enduring development goals.We need to ensure that different stakeholders—governments, private sector, researchers, and donors—are pulling in the same direction to harmonize their efforts and priorities.
Q: Matthieu, can you tell us more about the role of public agricultural banks in this context?
Matthieu Le Grix: Public agricultural banks are pivotal in attracting private financing. Our agency is deeply engaged with these banks in Africa to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing. We work closely with institutions like the international Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to create a coalition where best practices are exchanged, and financial products tailored to farmers’ needs are developed. Such as, banks like Crédit Agricole du Maroc are helping less-resourced banks innovate through shared experiences.
Q: There’s also a need to engage commercial banks in financing agriculture. Younes Addou from InnovX stated that they support small-scale farmers in West Africa.How does that work?
Augustin Grandgeorge: innovx’s approach is critical. By demonstrating how risks can be mitigated, they reassure commercial banks about financing smallholder farmers. younes mentioned that this involves ensuring access to markets, infrastructure to prevent post-harvest losses, and high-quality inputs to increase both yields and resilience—an integrated approach that banks can understand and support.
Q: What kind of insurance products are being offered to support these farmers?
Matthieu Le grix: To provide additional security for farmers and reassure lending institutions, companies like InnovX offer yield insurance that can compensate for losses up to 70%. This risk mitigation strategy is essential in an era where climate unpredictability can have devastating impacts on harvests.
Q: what practical advice do you have for stakeholders looking to contribute to the agricultural sector in africa?
Augustin Grandgeorge: Stakeholders must prioritize collaboration—engaging in dialogue, pooling resources, and sharing knowledge. Investing in agricultural resilience is not only about funding but about building inclusive systems that allow farmers to thrive.
Matthieu Le Grix: I would emphasize that stakeholders should also focus on empowering local agricultural banks and ensuring a robust infrastructural framework. By supporting farmers directly and building resilient systems, we can create a sustainable future for agriculture in Africa.
Q: Thank you, Augustin and Matthieu, for sharing your insights. your perspectives are vital as we look to address the challenges faced by agriculture in Africa due to climate change.
Augustin Grandgeorge and Matthieu Le Grix: thank you for having us. It’s an significant conversation, and we hope it leads to actionable solutions.