Report Launch | From Subsidies to Sustainability: Rethinking public support to agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa

Agriculture continues to play a significant role in many economies in sub-Saharan Africa, and public support to the sector is a vital policy lever used by many governments in the region. However, while agricultural subsidy programs have helped boost food security, livelihoods, and agricultural production, evidence shows that they have also generated significant fiscal burdens and contributed to declining soil health. Faced with increasing fiscal pressures and environmental challenges, governments are exploring how to reform their spending to achieve better outcomes.

Our new report draws on case studies from Kenya, Malawi, and Zambia to examine how subsidy reform efforts impact soil health, climate resilience, economic growth, equity, and broader sustainable development outcomes. This launch event shared key lessons from their ongoing reform efforts, identifying how governments can design and implement subsidy reforms to improve these programs’ effectiveness, efficiency, and long-term sustainability.

It also featured a panel discussion with representatives from IISD, the Indaba Agricultural Research Institute, and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). Speakers shared insights into practical pathways for policy-makers to shift public support into more sustainable practices that support soil health, strengthen transparency and accountability, and improve inclusion and equity.  

Speakers

• Brian Mulenga, Executive Director, Indaba Agricultural Research Institute
• Claire McConnell, Policy Advisor, IISD
• Confrey Alianji, Innovations Advisor, Sustainable Agricultural Systems and Policies, GIZ
• Erika Luna, Policy Analyst, IISD