Dar es Salaam. Uncertainty surrounding the future of the United States' Food for Peace programme has revived a debate Africa can no longer afford to postpone: the continent’s dependence on external systems for food security.
For decades, Food for Peace has served as one of the largest sources of emergency food assistance for developing countries, including many across Africa.
However, recent developments in Washington suggest the programme may increasingly shift towards advancing American agricultural and trade interests alongside its humanitarian mission.
While discussions continue in the United States, the implications for Africa extend beyond aid budgets. They raise wider questions about sovereignty, self-reliance and the continent’s ability to feed itself in an increasingly uncertain global environment.
The issue reflects a broader Pan-African argument that political independence remains incomplete without economic sovereignty. Across Africa, policymakers, scholars and development experts are increasingly questioning whether global systems adequately serve the continent’s long-term interests.
Tanzanian opposition politician and presidential candidate in the 2025 elections, Doyo Hassan Doyo recently argued that international institutions often fail to fully reflect the priorities of developing countries. Speaking on international governance, he said African countries should focus on strengthening their own systems rather than relying heavily on external structures.
“The objective is not isolation, but balance,” Doyo said, stressing the importance of building institutions capable of advancing African interests.
His remarks mirror concerns emerging around food security. If donor countries can redesign aid programmes based on domestic priorities, African countries remain vulnerable to policy decisions over which they have limited influence.
Africa possesses many of the resources required to reduce that vulnerability. The continent has vast agricultural land, significant freshwater resources and a rapidly growing labour force. Yet despite these advantages, many countries continue to import food and rely on emergency assistance during periods of crisis.
This contradiction highlights structural challenges that go beyond farming itself. Limited investment in irrigation, storage facilities, transport infrastructure and agro-processing continues to weaken productivity. Large amounts of food are lost after harvest while millions of people remain vulnerable to shortages.
The African Continental Free Trade Area also presents opportunities to strengthen regional food systems by enabling agricultural surpluses to move more efficiently across borders. Stronger regional integration could reduce dependence on imports from outside the continent and improve resilience during droughts, conflicts and supply disruptions.
Political analyst Dr Lupa Ramadhani of the University of Dar es Salaam said strong domestic institutions remain essential in reducing external dependence and strengthening policy independence.
“Failure to act internally invites external attention,” he said.
For Africa, the answer is not confrontation with international partners. Humanitarian assistance will continue to play an important role during emergencies, and global cooperation still offers important benefits. However, partnerships should support African priorities rather than define them.
The future of Africa’s food security will depend less on decisions made in Washington or other global capitals and more on investments in agriculture, infrastructure, regional trade and governance across the continent.
