Status of agriculture and food security in post-COVID-19 Africa: Impacts and lessons learned

Agriculture in Africa accounts for approximately 40% of the continent’s gross domestic product (GDP) and employs nearly 70% of its labor force. However, the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Africa imposed a significant strain on the agricultural value chain and food systems, impacting the nutrition and livelihoods of several households. Agricultural activities were impeded by the unavailability of labor, increased cost of farm inputs, and limited cross-border transactions, heightening the already existing food security crisis and exacerbating the hunger index in several African countries. The strain arising from supply chain disruptions, inflation in food prices, stockpiling/hoarding of food, and disruption of food imports further increased malnutrition, especially for the vulnerable population, impacting Africa’s attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Evidently, the COVID-19 pandemic presented numerous challenges as well as opportunities to revitalize the agricultural sector. Thus, this review presents the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic on agricultural production, and food security and discusses the interventions and opportunities triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic in fostering agricultural development and transformation in Africa. The information provided herein will be useful to policymakers, donor agencies, development partners, governmental and non-governmental organizations, civil societies, and researchers in fostering growth and development within the agricultural sectors post-COVID-19, and further promoting advanced preparedness toward future pandemics to safeguard Africa’s agriculture and food security.