Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa

The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, commonly known as AGRA, is an Africa-based nonprofit agricultural development organization established in 2006. Its work is focused on improving productivity, farmer incomes, food security, and the functioning of agricultural markets, particularly for smallholder farmers. The organization operates through partnerships with African governments, farmer organizations, research institutions, universities, civil-society groups, development agencies, and private-sector participants. AGRA was created within the broader policy environment of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme, the African Union framework for agricultural transformation, food security, nutrition, economic development, and rural prosperity. It was initially supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation. Rather than functioning as a conventional consumer-facing brand, AGRA acts as a development platform, policy partner, program manager, convenor, and source of agricultural research and market information. The organization has prioritized eleven African countries spanning three broad agro-ecological zones: the Guinea Savannah countries of Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, and Burkina Faso; the East African Highlands countries of Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania; and the Miombo Woodland countries of Malawi and Mozambique. From its headquarters in Nairobi, AGRA has supported national agriculture strategies, input and seed systems, extension services, agribusiness linkages, agricultural finance, research, and public-private coordination. Its stated approach has included helping farmers access improved seeds, fertilizers, agronomic advice, market connections, and technologies intended to raise yields. AGRA has also supported crop research, including work on disease-resistant cassava, and has contributed to doctoral and university programs in agricultural fields. Its publications include the Africa Agriculture Status Report, the Food Security Monitor, and annual organizational reports. The organization is also associated with the Africa Food Systems Forum, an annual gathering that brings together political leaders, ministers, scientists, farmers, businesses, civil-society organizations, and other stakeholders. AGRA has announced ambitious targets at different stages of its development. Earlier goals included reaching twenty million farmers, doubling their incomes, and reducing food insecurity in twenty African countries by 2020. Later strategy documents emphasized thirty million smallholder households in eleven countries by the end of 2021, with both direct and indirect beneficiaries. AGRA has reported millions of farmers reached through extension and technology-adoption programs, as well as improvements in the number of months during which participating households reported adequate food supplies. These figures are organization-reported and have been disputed or interpreted differently by independent researchers. The organization has attracted substantial criticism. The Oakland Institute and the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa have argued that AGRA's model places too much emphasis on purchased agricultural inputs, commercial seed systems, and rapid technological solutions. Critics contend that such approaches may increase farmers' dependence on corporations, weaken local seed autonomy, overlook poverty and unequal market access, and create particular risks for women farmers. They also argue that hunger is not solely a production problem and cannot be solved without addressing purchasing power, land rights, public services, and structural inequality. In 2021, a coalition led by the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa issued an open letter alleging that AGRA had not achieved its stated goals; a further letter was reported in 2025. AGRA therefore occupies a contested position in African agricultural development. Supporters view it as an Africa-led institution capable of mobilizing governments, science, investment, and private enterprise around smallholder agriculture. Critics see it as part of a donor-backed modernization model that can privilege commercial inputs over agroecology, farmer control, and food sovereignty. Its public identity is consequently defined both by its development programs and by the debate over how African food systems should be transformed.

AGRA was founded in 2006 as an Africa-based and Africa-led organization working within the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme. The program was intended to support agricultural transformation, wealth creation, nutrition, food security, and broad-based economic growth. AGRA emerged with financial backing from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation and developed a model based on cooperation among governments, scientists, farmers, businesses, universities, and civil-society organizations. Kofi Annan served as the organization's first chair. His leadership gave the new institution international visibility while emphasizing African agricultural transformation and the importance of national policy ownership. In 2013, Annan was succeeded by Strive Masiyiwa, the founder of Econet Wireless. Masiyiwa served until 2019, after which former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn became chair. Agnes Kalibata became president in 2014 and has led the organization operationally since then. AGRA concentrated its activities in eleven countries distributed across three agro-ecological areas: Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, and Burkina Faso in the Guinea Savannah; Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania in the East African Highlands; and Malawi and Mozambique in the Miombo Woodland. Its country work has included support for national agriculture investment plans, extension networks, input distribution, seed systems, agricultural finance, value chains, market access, research, and public-private coordination. The organization's early public ambitions included doubling the incomes of twenty million farmers and halving food insecurity in twenty countries by 2020. Its later strategy focused on thirty million smallholder households in eleven countries by the end of 2021. AGRA has described direct and indirect channels of influence, distinguishing farmers reached through its own interventions from households benefiting through government partnerships, private-sector engagement, and system-level work. Its monitoring reports have cited millions of farmers receiving extension support and adopting improved technologies. AGRA has also supported research and education. One cited area is the development of cassava strains intended to resist cassava brown streak virus and cassava common mosaic virus. The organization has supported PhD programs at universities in Ghana and South Africa and produces recurring agricultural intelligence, including the Africa Agriculture Status Report, the Food Security Monitor, and annual reports. It is a major convener of the Africa Food Systems Forum, which brings together political leaders, ministers, scientists, farmers, businesses, and civil-society representatives. The organization has faced sustained criticism from food-sovereignty and development advocates. The Oakland Institute and other critics have argued that AGRA's approach was insufficiently shaped by African farmer voices and places excessive reliance on improved commercial seeds, fertilizers, and other purchased inputs. They warn that farmers may become dependent on corporate seed systems, that women may be disadvantaged, and that higher production alone cannot solve hunger where poverty prevents people from buying food. In 2021, the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa and allied organizations published an open letter alleging that AGRA had not achieved its stated goals. A further letter with hundreds of signatories was reported in 2025. AGRA's history consequently combines institution-building, government partnership, agricultural research, and convening with a continuing dispute over development philosophy. Supporters describe it as an African-led mechanism for coordinating science, investment, and public policy around smallholder agriculture. Critics argue that its model can reproduce donor and corporate influence while weakening farmer control over seeds and production choices.

• 2021

  Food-sovereignty groups issue a critical open letter

  [1]Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africaen.wikipedia.org

  The Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa and supporting organizations publicly challenge AGRA's reported performance and agricultural model.

• 2019

  Hailemariam Desalegn becomes chair

  [1]Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africaen.wikipedia.org

  Former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn succeeds Strive Masiyiwa as chair.

• 2014

  Agnes Kalibata becomes president

  [1]Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africaen.wikipedia.org

  Agnes Kalibata assumes the organization's presidency and becomes its principal operational leader.

• 2013

  Strive Masiyiwa succeeds Kofi Annan as chair

  [1]Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africaen.wikipedia.org

  Econet Wireless founder Strive Masiyiwa takes over the chairmanship after Kofi Annan's founding term.

• 2006

  AGRA is founded

  [1]Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africaen.wikipedia.org

  The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa is established as an Africa-based agricultural development organization connected to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme.

An Africa-based, government-partnered agricultural transformation organization focused on smallholder productivity, food security, market development, and agricultural policy coordination.

• Agricultural research publication

  Africa Agriculture Status Report

  An annual publication examining major trends, drivers, opportunities, and challenges affecting African agriculture and food systems. It is designed for policymakers, researchers, development practitioners, and other participants in agricultural planning.

• Food-security intelligence publication

  Food Security Monitor

  A recurring monitoring publication that provides food-security outlook information for AGRA's focus countries. It supports discussion of food availability, vulnerability, agricultural conditions, and policy responses.

• Agricultural development services · 2006

  Smallholder agricultural development programs

  Programs supporting extension services, improved seeds and other inputs, technology adoption, market access, value chains, farmer organizations, and government agricultural strategies across AGRA's eleven priority countries.

• Crop research

  Cassava disease-resistance research

  Research initiatives concerning cassava varieties intended to resist cassava brown streak virus and cassava common mosaic virus, forming part of AGRA's broader interest in crop improvement and agricultural research.

• 2025

  Renewed open-letter criticism

  A renewed open letter reportedly signed by about 600 organizations and individuals repeated allegations that AGRA's model undermines food sovereignty and farmer autonomy.

  Source

• 2021

  Food-sovereignty organizations challenge AGRA's results

  The Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa and allied signatories accused AGRA of failing to deliver its stated improvements in productivity, farmer incomes, and food insecurity. The dispute reflects broader criticism of input-led and commercially oriented agricultural development.

  Source

Read more

• Africa Food Systems Forum

  Africa

  AGRA is among the principal conveners of the Africa Food Systems Forum, an annual multi-stakeholder gathering involving governments, political leaders, scientists, farmers, businesses, and civil-society organizations. The forum is intended to coordinate discussion and action on African food-system transformation.

  Outcome. The forum has become a recurring platform for policy dialogue and networking around African agriculture and food systems.

  Source

• 2019

  Continue focus on eleven priority countriesStrategy

  Background

  AGRA's later strategy concentrated resources in eleven countries grouped across three African agro-ecological zones.

  Action taken

  The organization emphasized national ownership, government agricultural investment plans, extension systems, private-sector participation, research, and smallholder value chains.

  Aftermath

  The country-focused model enabled deeper engagement with selected national systems while also drawing criticism over the role of commercial inputs and private-sector actors.

  Source

• 2006

  Adopt an Africa-based agricultural transformation modelStrategy

  Background

  AGRA was created amid continental efforts to increase agricultural productivity, strengthen food security, and integrate agriculture with economic development under the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme.

  Action taken

  The organization structured its work around partnerships with African governments and other national actors, combining agricultural science, market development, farmer support, and policy coordination.

  Aftermath

  This approach established AGRA as a development intermediary and convening institution rather than a conventional agricultural-input company.

  Source

1. 1Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2AGRA official websiteagra.org