The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development marks the culmination of decades of global dialogue, beginning with the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Environment and culminating in the adoption of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the 2015 COP. This comprehensive framework envisions sustainable agriculture as essential to ensuring sufficient, safe, and nutritious food, grounded in respect for human rights.

In Africa, efforts to revolutionize agriculture have been led by initiatives like the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), founded in 2006 with significant investment from the Gates and Rockefeller Foundations. Inspired by Asia's mid-20th-century agricultural transformation, AGRA sought to enhance productivity through high-yield crop varieties. However, this technology-driven approach has drawn criticism for fostering dependence on synthetic inputs, overlooking local contexts, and disregarding traditional farming practices. The lack of cultural and environmental sensitivity has led to challenges in achieving its ambitious goals.

Agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa remains deeply tied to both economic and cultural systems, contributing significantly to GDP and employing the majority of the workforce. Yet, its environmental toll is undeniable, accounting for substantial greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to water pollution through excessive use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. These challenges underscore the need for transformative approaches like agroecology, which prioritize sustainability, resilience, and the well-being of both people and ecosystems. This paradigm offers a hopeful pathway to rethinking food systems and addressing the intersecting crises of climate change, food insecurity, and environmental degradation.