Agricultural Training Could Be Africa’s Most Overlooked Food Security Strategy

Africa’s food insecurity is often misdiagnosed. The conversation typically centers on inputs, more land, better seeds, and improved access to finance. But beneath the surface lies a deeper systems issue. Market failures, climate shocks, infrastructural gaps, and ongoing conflict all play a role. Yet one element cuts across them all and rarely gets the spotlight: the human capacity to farm well. Despite holding over half of the world’s uncultivated arable land, Africa continues to rely heavily on food imports. Sub-Saharan Africa alone imports more than $40 billion worth of food annually. The region is not short on land or potential, it is short on knowledge. Most African farmers are smallholders, and many work without access to up-to-date techniques or information on how to adapt to shifting climate and market conditions. This leads to inefficient production, wasted resources, and missed opportunities for value addition. While policies often push for more inputs or the adoption of new technologies, those tools can only be as effective as the people using them. Agricultural training rooted in practical, vocational, and entrepreneurial skills is arguably the most overlooked lever in the continent’s food security puzzle. If we are to unlock the full potential of its land and reduce its dependence on imports, it must invest in equipping its farmers with the skills to thrive in a rapidly changing world. 

The Scale of Africa’s Food Security Problem

Africa’s food insecurity is not just persistent, it’s accelerating. As of 2022, more than 282 million Africans were classified as hungry, representing over 38% of the global total. When expanded to include moderate and severe cases of food insecurity, the number climbs to 868 million, facing the harshest conditions. That means more than half of the continent’s population struggles to access sufficient, safe, and nutritious food regularly. Despite this urgency, sub-Saharan Africa remains heavily dependent on external food sources. This reliance persists even as the region holds more than half of the world’s uncultivated arable land, a striking paradox that speaks to systemic inefficiencies rather than scarcity. Two forces are making the situation even more fragile: population growth and climate change. Africa’s population is projected to double by 2050, with most of that growth concentrated in rural and peri-urban areas where food systems are already under strain. Meanwhile, agricultural yields remain among the lowest globally, despite rising investment. In many countries, maize productivity ranges from 1,000 to 1,500 kg/ha, far below the global average of nearly 6,000 kg/ha. Wheat and sorghum follow similar trends. These low yields aren’t simply due to poor soils or unpredictable weather, they also reflect a lack of access to knowledge. These realities underscore the need to rethink the solution. Tools and inputs matter, but only if farmers know how to use them effectively.

Why Inputs Alone Can’t Solve Africa’s Food Insecurity

Across much of Africa, agricultural policy has long equated productivity with access to inputs. Fertilizer subsidies, seed distribution schemes, and mechanization programs dominate national strategies. Yet despite billions in investment, yields remain low, losses persist, and food insecurity deepens. The problem isn’t just the absence of inputs, it’s the absence of knowledge. Nigeria’s Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GES), launched in 2012, is a case in point. The program aimed to provide subsidized inputs through electronic vouchers. But it failed to achieve sustained productivity gains. A major reason was the lack of training for farmers on how to use those inputs effectively, how to apply fertilizer, rotate crops, or manage seed varieties under local conditions. A 2021 study in Malawi illustrated the power of farmer education. Two groups of smallholder potato farmers were provided with the same inputs: land, fertilizer, and improved seed. However, only one group received training in crop management and seed handling. The results were stark: the trained group achieved average yields of 1,323 kg per acre, while the untrained group produced just 500 kg per acre, a 62% difference. Training also improved their pest management and post-harvest techniques, leading to higher income and reduced losses. Pest control remains one of the clearest indicators of the training gap. Since its spread across sub-Saharan Africa, Fall Armyworm has caused billions of dollars in maize losses. In Nigeria, farmers frequently report using expired or inappropriate pesticides or no intervention at all, simply because they cannot identify the pest or access timely advice. Extension services, where they exist, are overstretched and underfunded. Post-harvest handling tells the same story. Nigeria loses an estimated 30–40% of its harvested crops, particularly perishables like tomatoes, due to poor storage and processing. In the rice sector alone, post-harvest losses cost the economy over ₦300 billion annually. These are not failures of production, they are failures of training. Improved drying, milling, and storage techniques could significantly reduce waste, yet such knowledge rarely reaches the average smallholder. In each of these cases, the outcome is clear: inputs, on their own, do not guarantee productivity. They must be matched with human capital. Farmers need training in soil health, pest control, climate adaptation, market access, and post-harvest systems. Without that, even the best fertilizer or seed will fall short. As the Malawi case shows and as evidence from Nigeria confirms, knowledge is the multiplier. Policies must evolve beyond input distribution to embrace agricultural training as a core pillar of food security. Without that shift, Africa risks spending billions on tools that never reach their potential.

The Policy and Funding Shortfall

Although the Maputo Declaration set a target of 10% of national spending for agriculture, few countries meet it. And within those budgets, most funding goes to subsidies and infrastructure, not to human capital development. Research and training consistently receive less than 10% of agricultural funding. The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) recommends doubling this share, but progress is slow. A 2022 ECOWAS initiative offered €1.3 million across 15 West African training institutions, less than €90,000 per school. Institutional fragmentation makes matters worse. Responsibility for training is often split among ministries of agriculture, education, rural development, and labour, resulting in overlapping mandates and poor coordination. Donor-funded projects often operate in silos, with limited alignment to national systems. Many disappear once funding ends. Meanwhile, training centers remain underfunded and understaffed. Even successful projects like the Agricultural Technical Vocational Education and Training (ATVET) initiative reach only a small fraction of the farmers who need support. The consequences are structural. Without stable, coordinated investment in knowledge systems, farmers are left without the tools to adapt, innovate, or thrive. Inputs may be delivered, but without the accompanying support, their potential remains unrealized. To close Africa’s food security gap, training must be recognized and funded as essential infrastructure coordinated across institutions, scaled for reach, and sustained for long-term impact.

What Effective Agricultural Capacity-Building Looks Like

Where many policy efforts fall short, effective agricultural training treated as soft infrastructure can transform not just yields but entire rural economies. Its impact extends beyond the field, influencing food safety, market engagement, and climate resilience. Ethiopia’s wheat transformation strategy is a clear example. In pilot districts, a government-led extension program introduced improved techniques, irrigation, and cluster farming models. These were embedded in structured training modules, including demonstration plots and continuous advisory services. The result: wheat yields increased. In Nigeria, the IFAD-supported program trained women cassava farmers in plant spacing, disease control, and value addition. With the same inputs as their peers, these women doubled their yields. Many also began processing cassava into higher-value products, increasing household income and strengthening their role in local economies. Training also enhances food safety. Farmers learn hygienic handling, pest control, and proper storage, which reduces spoilage and contamination. It builds resilience. Climate-smart practices like drought-resistant varieties, adaptive planting schedules, and early warning systems equip farmers to respond to environmental shocks. When farmers understand not just what to do, but why it works, they become innovators and problem-solvers. Capacity-building is not a side activity it is the foundation of any serious food security strategy.

Equipping Farmers for Real Impact

Africa’s food security challenge is not rooted in a lack of land or inputs, but in the widespread absence of practical agricultural knowledge. While investments in fertilizer and seed dominate policy, farmers often lack the training to use them effectively. Evidence from countries like Ethiopia and Nigeria shows that targeted training significantly boosts yields, incomes, and resilience. Yet agricultural education remains underfunded and fragmented. To make real progress, training must be treated as essential infrastructure embedded in policy, scaled with intent, and backed by stable funding. Without this shift, Africa’s agricultural potential will remain largely unrealized.