Decolonizing African Agriculture: A Vision for the Future of Agroecological Systems

On December 4, the Columbia Global Centers in Tunis and Nairobi collaborated to celebrate the release of Decolonizing African Agriculture (Columbia University Press, 2024), the latest book by William Moseley, the DeWitt Wallace Professor of Geography at Macalester College. Youssef Cherif, Director of Columbia Global Center Tunis, hosted the event, which featured Philip Munyua’10 GSAS, founder of NY Data Inc. and KINAITORE Enterprise Ltd., as a guest discussant. 

Professor Moseley’s book highlights his commitment to transforming African agricultural systems. Drawing from his 35-year career as an agricultural development worker and an academic, Moseley takes a step back to grasp the full picture. The book seeks to understand the reasons behind both failures and successes in the sector, proposing alternatives that address the harm caused by a system deeply rooted in colonial approaches to farming. Moseley examines examples from four countries: Mali, Burkina Faso, Botswana, and South Africa. He begins with an anecdote from his time in Mali as a Peace Corps volunteer, where he noticed that discussions about agriculture were largely centered on cotton production. Moseley discovered that Mali had signed agreements with the World Bank to pursue structural adjustment loans, or neoliberal economic reforms, in exchange for a strong commitment to cotton production. While the government argued that there were synergies between cotton farming and food crop production, this was only true for the wealthiest farmers. In contrast, middle-income and poor farmers were becoming increasingly indebted and food insecure.

The book challenges the notion that agronomy is apolitical; rather, it has been infused with power and politics since its inception. Every decision to develop specific crops was deliberately intended to benefit certain groups, made by those who held power, money, and influence. Agricultural ideas and models still in use today can be traced back to the colonial period. One example is oriented agronomy, which was driven by the need of colonial powers to capture and modify tropical crops, soils, and farming practices as tools for European economic expansion. To decolonize African agriculture, we must first understand this dynamic and its influence on the field's development. 

Moseley emphasizes the importance of understanding how agricultural systems disproportionately affect women. In Burkina Faso, the rise in artisanal gold production led to a loss of labor in agriculture. To compensate, farmers turned to herbicides to make up for the labor shortage. In these situations, women have minimal control over labor allocation. The herbicides contain harmful chemicals such as glyphosate, a suspected carcinogen, and atrazine, a known hormone disruptor. These pose significant and often unknown health risks to women working in the sector. In Botswana, the discovery of diamonds boosted GDP and shifted the country away from food crop production, resulting in a 90% reliance on food imports. This dramatic shift has had a devastating impact on women farmers, further marginalizing their role in agriculture. 

The most unnerving aspect of the African agricultural sector for Moseley is that, despite billions of dollars and decades of effort poured into development, malnutrition remains widespread. This translates to 60% of the continent experiencing moderate to severe food insecurity. French researchers have found that in Mali, wealthier rural areas suffer from the highest rates of child malnutrition. Moseley found that this phenomenon, known as the Sikasso Paradox, stems from wealthier cotton farmers relying on inorganic fertilizers, leading to soil acidification and decreasing yields. Professor Moseley reflected, “We're only going to seriously address hunger in Africa when we more fully question the assumption that increased crop production alone is the solution”. Instead of addressing the root of malnutrition, we have built a global food system dependent on major cash crops that are energy-intensive and highly susceptible to disruptions such as supply chain breakdowns, pandemics, and climate change.

When considering the future of agroecology, Moseley highlights that surveys conducted in Botswana underscore the vital role of foraged foods in enhancing dietary diversity and food security. Foraged foods thrive during the season before the new harvest and provide essential sustenance. Key examples include the African baobab (Adansonia digitata), whose leaves are rich in iron, and the néré fruit, also known as the African locust bean, which, when fermented, forms a nutritious sauce. These examples highlight how agroecological practices rooted in local knowledge can enhance resilience, particularly in regions facing disruptions from external forces.

Philip Munyua concluded the discussion by reflecting on Professor Moseley’s book and highlighting its incisive critique of the historical and structural forces that have shaped African agriculture. He emphasized how the book presents agroecology and food sovereignty as transformative alternatives to dominant, export-oriented, and industrial models. Munyua emphasized that agroecology fosters sustainable farming practices and empowers communities by integrating local knowledge and building resilience. 

As international efforts to address environmental and climate challenges gain attention, it is encouraging to see initiatives that confront these issues' social and political roots. Professor Moseley’s work unpacking the colonial systems that shape modern-day agriculture in Africa demonstrates a meaningful commitment to climate justice. This work reflects the growing momentum in environmental and climate advocacy to adopt a more comprehensive approach to addressing our shared challenges.