A powerful call for justice is rising from Africa’s faith communities. More than 600 faith leaders across the continent have signed a renewed open letter to the Gates Foundation, demanding reparations for the ecological and social harm caused by industrial agriculture and urging a just transition to agroecology. The campaign, led by the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) and supported by networks such as the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), strengthens an earlier appeal made in 2020 to end funding for the Green Revolution model in Africa, which promotes industrial farming and seeks to reshape African seed laws.
The updated letter was launched at the “Advancing Gender Equity in Climate Leadership” event on Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security (29 October 2025). It reflects a growing consensus among faith, traditional, and community leaders that Africa’s food future must be locally rooted, ecologically sound, and socially just. This call comes amid evidence that hunger has increased by over 30% in countries targeted by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), despite more than US$1 billion invested.
“Instead of lifting farmers out of poverty, AGRA’s industrial agriculture model has deepened financial dependency, depleted soil fertility, and undermined the sovereignty and resilience of smallholder communities,” said Gabriel Manyangadze, Food and Climate Justice Manager at SAFCEI. “We are calling on the Gates Foundation to pay reparations to the smallholder farmers affected by industrial agriculture and to support a transition to resilient, locally led food systems.”
Manyangadze added, “Hunger is rising, nutrient-rich local crops are declining, and farmers’ rights over seeds are being eroded. It is time for the Gates Foundation to acknowledge the harm caused and invest in restoring Africa’s farmers and ecosystems.”
Women’s Leadership at the Forefront
Women’s leadership lies at the heart of this movement. “Decades of industrial agriculture-driven harm demand restorative action,” said Ulfat Masibo, Executive Director of the Africa Muslim Women Action Network in Kenya. “Faith communities have a duty to protect life, dignity, and the land. Funders and policymakers must invest in repair, uplift women’s leadership, and support resilient, local food systems.”
From rural Zimbabwe, traditional healer and agroecologist Doreen Badze emphasized the deeper meaning of reparations. “Chemical farming has harmed our soils and communities. Returning to agroecological methods restores the earth, honors the Creator, and reconnects us to ancestral wisdom. Reparations are not just financial—they are about healing our relationship with the land and each other.”
Industrial Agriculture vs. Agroecology
Faith leaders argue that continued promotion of industrial farming by the Gates Foundation, through programs like AGRA, undermines the goal of ending hunger and poverty. Independent research from Tufts University and other institutions has shown that the Green Revolution in Africa has failed to deliver promised yield increases or improve rural livelihoods while depleting natural resources and reducing biodiversity. By contrast, agroecology—locally led, holistic, and sustainable—has proven to enhance food sovereignty, ecological restoration, and climate resilience.
Francesca de Gasparis, SAFCEI’s Executive Director, emphasized the role of faith communities as both moral voices and agents of change. “Across Africa, churches, mosques, temples, and traditional leaders are standing together to defend life and the integrity of creation. With over 600 faith leader signatories, and nearly 1,000 including supporting organizations and individuals, this is a strong, united call for reparations and a radical shift toward agroecology. Funders, governments, and policymakers must now listen and act.”
A Strategic Moment for African Voices
The campaign comes at a pivotal moment, as international funders review climate and agricultural portfolios ahead of major global summits. African leaders are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that development financing nurture community-led, gender-just, and ecologically regenerative farming systems that protect both people and the planet.
SAFCEI is urging faith-based organizations, community groups, and the public to join the movement, sign the open letter, and stand in solidarity with African faith leaders. The letter will remain open for signatures until the end of November 2025, after which it will be formally delivered to the Gates Foundation.