• Africa received $117B in food system aid from 2018 to 2023
• Most funds went to agriculture, infrastructure, and emergency aid
• East Africa led in funding; 11 countries got half of all support
  

External financing for Africa’s food systems reached $117 billion between 2018 and 2023, according to a joint study released by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Bank.

The study, “External Development Financial Flows to Food Systems: Deep Dive on Africa’s Food Systems,” found that annual investment rose 19%, from $18.1 billion to $21.5 billion over the period.

The increase shows donors’ sustained focus on the continent—but also the persistence of deep structural challenges linked to food security and climate resilience.

Donors directed most funding toward agricultural development and value-chain projects, which accounted for an average of 39% of total flows. Infrastructure and social assistance—mainly emergency food aid—each received 23%, while environmental and nutrition-related projects received 11% and 4%, respectively.

Top African recipients

Regionally, East Africa attracted the largest share of funding, receiving 41% of total investment, followed by West Africa with 24% and North Africa with 13%.

Overall, 87% of external support went to sub-Saharan Africa, underscoring its continued role as the main destination for food aid. The report links this to global concern over crisis regions such as the Horn of Africa and the Sahel, which continue to suffer from chronic food insecurity, repeated climate shocks, and conflict-driven disruptions.

However, the regional totals hide large disparities among countries. Only 11 African nations—including Burkina Faso, Niger, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Uganda—received half of all external funding during that period.

The report warns that these countries need to increase national spending on agriculture to reduce dependence on foreign aid and strengthen long-term resilience.

Stéphanas Assocle