Morocco proposes international fund to tackle Africa's food insecurity

Ya Biladi

30-07-2025

Is it still appropriate to speak of progress when, in 2024, 670 million people worldwide are undernourished? This staggering figure, drawn from the latest joint report by the FAO, WHO, and WFP, hints at a slight global improvement but masks stark regional inequalities.
In Africa, the situation is deteriorating. The continent alone is home to 307 million people suffering from chronic undernourishment, making up over 20% of its population. This percentage has been on the rise for several years.
Africa's vulnerability is primarily due to the fact that in many countries, more than half of the food supply is imported. This, as Lorine Azoulai from CCFD-Terre Solidaire explains, «hinders their ability to develop local production». She adds, «To glimpse any prospects, they must emancipate themselves at least somewhat from international markets». A minor disruption in global markets, a drought, or a war can cause the entire system to collapse. Speculation, geopolitical tensions, and climate change offer no respite.
Regional Disparities
The same grim reality is evident in certain parts of the Middle East. In Syria, nearly 40% of the population lacks sufficient food, one of the highest rates globally. In Palestine, starvation is wielded as a weapon of war against civilians. The WHO reports a «peak in deaths in July». While the UN report may not detail this acute crisis, the shadow of the enclave looms over every discussion.
Forecasts are equally alarming: by 2030, 512 million people could be living with chronic undernourishment, with nearly 60% of them in Africa.
A Response from Africa, for Africa
Against this backdrop, Morocco proposed a clear initiative on Monday, July 28, in Addis Ababa: the creation of an international fund dedicated exclusively to African food security. Rabat sees this as a crucial lever to bolster the continent's food sovereignty, as outlined by Ahmed El Bouari, Moroccan Minister of Agriculture, during the second review of the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS+4).
In light of dwindling development aid, particularly following the abrupt cessation of the USAID program that supported 45 million people, this fund aims to be a response from Africa, designed for Africa. The minister underscored the importance of responsible financing, equitable access to food, and inclusive governance. He argued that it is no longer enough to adapt agricultural systems to the climate; there must be a profound transformation in the logic of food supply chains. Morocco claims to have experienced this transformation with its Generation Green 2020–2030 strategy, which combines human investment, ecological transition, and social justice.
With this proposal, Morocco aims to put the right to food at the forefront of international discussions. The challenge is not just to feed people but to restore countries' ability to determine their agriculture and future.
A collective response is essential. The Kingdom is indeed banking on South-South cooperation, already in motion through royal initiatives like the Adaptation of African Agriculture. Moreover, Morocco advocates for a reimagined multilateral solidarity, one less reliant on major Western donors and more grounded in regional realities.
The Forgotten Faces of Hunger
Hunger has faces, and they are often the same. Women, children, and isolated rural families are the hardest hit. In some regions, an entire generation is growing up with empty stomachs. In 2023, over 30% of women aged 15 to 49 suffered from anemia, and the gap with men continues to widen. «Hunger and malnutrition are political», economist Raj Patel reminds us. «There is no other way to explain why women are more affected than men», he adds.
And yet, there is an explanation. Hunger is not only political; it is also social and deeply linked to imposed roles, as the NGO Action Against Hunger highlights. In some regions, women cannot own land or access resources without a man's approval. Their work—collecting water, feeding the family, caring for children and the elderly, cooking, and tending to the sick—is invisible, domestic, and daily, yet neither remunerated nor recognized. When tensions rise, they bear the brunt of the violence, sometimes forced to trade their dignity for a bit of food.
However, alternatives are emerging. In Nigeria, the Porridge Moms program enables mothers to cook together, learn, and most importantly, regain control over what they eat. In Kenya, gardens near wells reduce dependency. Elsewhere, women become business leaders through simple access to tools. Fighting hunger also means empowering women to feed themselves and others.
The good news is that the continent will be in the spotlight this fall. The G20, COP30 in Brazil (November 10 – November 21, 2025), the World Committee for Food Security... There will be no shortage of platforms. But the African voice must be strong, clear, and driven by well-defined priorities.