The G20’s Agriculture Working Group has highlighted the urgent need for food security through sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, and regional trade-aligning with Africa’s push towards food self-sufficiency

With growing food crises, disrupted supply chains, and climate volatility, Africa must adapt its agricultural future, making local production and resilience top priorities.

The African Agri Investment Indaba 2025, scheduled for November 23-26 in Cape Town, will tackle this challenge under the theme "The New World Order: A Self-Sufficient Africa." The event will focus on how investment, innovation, and policy reforms can create sustainable food systems. Climate change, such as the recent El Niño that impacted Southern Africa's maize production, underscores the need for drought-resistant crops and improved water management. In response, many South African farms and others across the continent are investing in irrigation and adopting climate-smart strategies.

Susan Payne, Board Member of the African Agri Council, said, "Funding will become more challenging as most food production in Africa is undertaken by smallholder farmers, who are financially excluded by funders." Agri-tech innovations are transforming the sector, with platforms like Hello Tractor connecting smallholder farmers to mechanisation services via IoT, while South Africa leads in AI-driven precision agriculture.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is vital for intra-African trade, boosting food security by reducing imports and enhancing market connectivity. However, challenges persist, including livestock disease outbreaks, which necessitate stronger biosecurity measures. Governments and private sectors are investing in disease control and resilient systems.

“Collectives and co-operatives are key to attracting financing for smallholder farmers,” Payne added. The Agri Investment Indaba 2025 will explore how collaboration between investors, policymakers, and agribusinesses can shape a self-sufficient Africa, highlighting opportunities, challenges, and solutions needed to accelerate progress.

Namibian beef is celebrated worldwide for its exceptional quality, known for being free-range, grass-fed, and sustainably raised across the country’s expansive natural farmlands

From this Saturday, Namibian rumpsteak will be featured as a monthly special at Block House steak restaurants, a well-known chain with 42 locations across Germany.

Namibia holds the unique position as the only African nation authorised to export beef to both the United States and Europe, highlighting the country’s high production standards and strong international reputation.

After two and a half years of preparation, premium Namibian beef has been introduced more widely in Germany through a new agreement with Eugen Block Holding GmbH, one of Germany’s leading owner-managed hospitality companies. This group currently runs 47 Block House steakhouses across the country, alongside several Jim Block burger outlets.

This partnership offers German diners an authentic farm-to-table experience, showcasing Namibia’s rich agricultural tradition and dedication to quality.

According to the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), the agreement marks the successful culmination of efforts to establish a reliable supply of Namibian beef in Germany. This collaboration involved Namibian beef producers, South Trade GmbH, and Eugen Block Holding GmbH, with NIPDB playing a key role as facilitator alongside important stakeholders.

The introduction of Namibian beef in Block House restaurants fits well with NIPDB’s goal to promote Namibian products globally, emphasising Namibia as a producer of trusted, safe, and premium-quality food.

By securing partnerships with major hospitality brands like Block House, Namibia continues to highlight its premium export products while supporting sustainable growth for local farmers, processors, and exporters.

“Namibian beef stands out not only for its quality, but for the values behind it – being free-range, grass-fed, high animal welfare factors and sustainably produced. We are proud to have helped bring this exceptional product to one of Europe’s most respected restaurant groups,” said Valentin Külbs, managing director of South Trade GmbH.

“We are always looking to offer our guests something special,” said Markus Gutendorff, CEO of Block House Restaurantbetriebe AG.

“Namibian beef brings both quality and a compelling story of origin. It’s a perfect fit for our brand and our customers,” he added.

Africa’s agricultural sector, long seen as an untapped resource, is emerging as one of the most critical levers for achieving global sustainable development

Since the United Nations launched its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, progress has been underwhelming. Only 12% of the 169 targets are on track, while more than a third have stalled or even regressed. Yet amidst this global slowdown, one truth stands out clearly: investing in African agriculture could change the game.

Farming is the backbone of life across the African continent. It provides livelihoods for nearly 70% of the population, most of whom are women, and contributes around 30% to the continent’s GDP. However, this vital sector remains deeply underfinanced and underutilised. Cereal production in sub-Saharan Africa has increased by 37% over the past decade, not due to rising efficiency, but through the simple expansion of farmland. Yields per hectare remain approximately 60% below the global average, and just 5% of African farmland is irrigated. Mechanisation and access to inputs are limited, leaving millions of smallholder farmers at a disadvantage.

The result is a growing reliance on imported food. From 2015 to 2017, African nations spent an average of US$27bn a year on imported cereals. That number could balloon to US$110 billion by 2030 if investment remains stagnant. The implications stretch far beyond the continent. As the global population climbs and supply chains grow more fragile, Africa’s ability to produce food locally will be essential for global food security and price stability.

And yet, investment levels remain dismal. In 2022, African agriculture received just $49 billion from all sources—public, private, and development finance combined. That’s only about US$140 per farmer annually, compared to a global average of US$1,300. Agriculture currently draws less than 4% of all investment on the continent, and only 3% of global development funding. By comparison, the Africa Food Systems Forum estimates that US$200bn is needed to build a sustainable agrifood system capable of closing the development gap.

With 250 million Africans working in agriculture, the sector offers one of the most direct and powerful routes to inclusive economic growth. Investment in agriculture has been shown to be two to four times more effective at increasing incomes than investment in any other sector. Moreover, climate-smart practices could make African farms more resilient to climate shocks, enhance food security, and help preserve forests by increasing yields without the need for deforestation. African land also holds significant potential for carbon sequestration, aligning agricultural development with climate action.

Despite these opportunities, public spending on agriculture across African governments is far below target. In 2022, only US$16bn about 3% of public expenditure—was directed toward farming, falling short of the African Union’s recommendation of 10%. Only Malawi and Ethiopia have consistently met that threshold since 2008. Private sector investment is similarly lacking, with just 3% of Africa’s private funding going into agriculture, far below the global average of 10%.

To reverse this, investment strategies must be sharper and more targeted. Development agencies have a pivotal role to play in unlocking further funding through catalytic capital, risk-sharing mechanisms, and blended finance models that draw in private investors. Governments need to focus on building the foundations—improving infrastructure, cutting red tape, and creating a business environment that welcomes agricultural investment. And the private sector must seize the commercial opportunity by scaling innovative financing models, investing in local supply chains, and supporting agri-tech and entrepreneurship.

Efforts are already underway. The Agricultural Transitions Lab for African Solutions (ATLAS), launched by the Paris Peace Forum, is tracking progress and aligning funders across sectors. Its “2x30 Challenge” aims to double the current investment in African agriculture to US$98bn by 2030. The potential pay-off is enormous: food security, stronger rural economies, greater climate resilience, and sustainable growth not only for Africa, but for the world.

African agriculture doesn’t just need more investment—it deserves it. With the right support, it can feed a growing population, lift millions out of poverty, reduce reliance on imports, and transform global food systems. The seeds of change are already in the soil. It’s time we helped them grow.

Topcon’s new Apollo application controllers are redefining the future of precision seeding, offering a powerful, integrated machine control solution for small grain air seeders

Designed with both performance and usability in mind, Apollo is a modern ECU system that brings unmatched versatility, efficiency, and productivity to seeding operations.

The Apollo ECU is weatherproof, stackable, and ISO compatible, and supports virtually every air seeder brand currently in use. Whether you’re managing a simple single-product application or complex, multi-product seeding with fertiliser and chemicals, Apollo delivers high-end performance with ease. When paired with Topcon’s GNSS autosteering, the system becomes a fully integrated solution for precision agriculture.

At the heart of the system is the Topcon X30 console, which, together with Horizon software, gives operators a sleek, user-friendly interface. This advanced touchscreen display combines rate control, GNSS guidance, path planning, and agronomic data collection in one intuitive platform. It’s a level of integration that sets a new benchmark in the seeder market.

Apollo allows control of up to eight product channels simultaneously – dry, liquid, or NH₃ – with full Variable Rate Control and independent Section Control for each boom. Optional blockage monitoring covers 100+ lines, helping operators avoid downtime and product waste.

With an ISO UT interface, Apollo integrates seamlessly with any ISOBUS-compliant console, displaying data from up to four tanks or bins and enabling advanced functions like variable rate seeding via its Task Controller.

Built for tough field conditions, Apollo’s solid-state, modular design ensures high reliability. The system is rated IP69K, resistant to high-pressure and high-temperature washdowns, and features LED indicators for fast, on-the-go diagnostics.

Additional components like the KP-12 CAN-based keypad allow for both in-cab and on-machine operation, making calibration and task execution smooth and efficient. Operators can choose from multiple calibration methods, including manual entry, automatic wizard, area test, or weight-based calculations – all tailored to ensure accuracy and ease of use.

With the Apollo system, Topcon is leading the charge toward smarter, more connected seeding technology – helping farmers increase yields, reduce input costs, and stay ahead in a competitive market.