Africa Must Invest in Climate-Smart Water Solutions to Strengthen Food Security, AGRA President Says

Addis Ababa, March 23, 2026 (FMC) — Africa stands at a critical juncture in securing its food and water future, with farmers across the continent facing longer dry spells, erratic rainfall, and intensifying climate shocks, according to Alice Ruhweza, President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).

In her recent article, Ruhweza highlighted that recent droughts in the Horn of Africa and Southern Africa have exposed vulnerabilities in agricultural systems.

Between 2020 and 2023, the Horn of Africa experienced one of the most severe droughts in recent history, displacing millions and threatening livelihoods in Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia. Similarly, the 2023–2024 drought in Zambia revealed how limited water storage and weak climate information services undermine effective responses, she noted.

She emphasized that Africa’s food security is inseparable from water security, and that reliable access to water and effective water management are key to sustaining agriculture.

Currently, most of Sub-Saharan Africa depends on rain-fed agriculture, with only about 6 to 7 percent of cultivated land irrigated, compared to more than a third in Asia. Ruhweza said closing this gap requires practical, climate-smart technologies that are scalable and sustainable, rather than solely relying on large infrastructure projects.

Across multiple countries, Ruhweza noted that when farming systems reach a critical economic threshold — around 1,500 farmers connected to functioning markets — technologies such as irrigation, solar pumping, small-scale water storage, and improved climate information services can transform production systems. At this scale, productivity increases, risk declines, and investment follows.

She highlighted solar-powered irrigation as a particularly transformative solution. Ruhweza said it offers farmers clean, affordable access to water year-round from rivers, lakes, or groundwater, helping lower production costs and improve water-use efficiency. Combined with rainwater harvesting and groundwater management, solar irrigation can create integrated and resilient water systems capable of sustaining communities amid climate uncertainty.

“These solutions empower farmers directly. They improve water productivity, reduce vulnerability to climate shocks, and build stronger, more resilient value chains,” she noted.

Ruhweza also emphasized that responsible development of Africa’s significant groundwater resources, through managed aquifer recharge, shallow wells, and sustainable extraction, can provide critical buffers during droughts. Long-term stewardship must accompany expanded access.

She said improving water management at farm and community levels strengthens food systems more equitably and sustainably than large capital projects alone. These approaches also open pathways for youth employment and women’s economic participation by lowering entry barriers and fostering local enterprise ecosystems.

Ruhweza called for accelerated investment in climate-smart water technologies that are financially viable, inclusive, and market-linked. She urged public policy to support enabling environments, including affordable finance, targeted incentives for efficient systems, strengthened value chains, and enhanced climate information services.

“Continental leadership must be matched by coordinated implementation, catalytic investment, and aligned incentives. When institutions, private sector actors, and development partners converge around scalable, farmer-centered solutions, the results are measurable: higher yields, stronger resilience, and more stable rural economies,” Ruhweza said.