OPINION
In July 2025, I had the privilege of representing the Seed and Knowledge Initiative at the African Chefs’ Gathering and Policy Convening on African Food Systems in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The event brought together participants from 23 countries in a space of unity, purpose and solidarity, where voices from across the continent affirmed the beauty and sacredness of African food systems.
We celebrated the richness of our heritage through indigenous foods used in ceremonies and healing, traditional dishes carrying ancestral wisdom, and food rituals that bind communities. Chefs spoke about grains like fonio and teff and fruits like baobab and moringa, reminding us that every dish tells a story of seed, soil and survival. Yet these stories are at risk, as imported and ultra-processed foods continue to push indigenous diets to the margins, weakening local economies, eroding culture and harming human health.
What inspired me most was seeing chefs act as cultural ambassadors, using their kitchens as platforms of advocacy. Through food, they challenged policies that sideline traditional crops and smallholder farmers, and called for sovereignty and justice in how Africa feeds itself. At the same time, we confronted hard truths: the disconnection of youth from farming and cooking, colonial narratives that undermine African cuisine, the impacts of climate change and land degradation, and policies that speak of agroecology but fail to support it in practice.
Despite these challenges, hope and opportunity guided the gathering. Together we imagined a future where African food knowledge is documented, shared and celebrated, where women and youth are central to agroecological and culinary transformation, and where policies and education systems uplift African food traditions. The commitment that emerged was clear; to uphold dignity, share knowledge, challenge narratives that devalue African food systems, and protect the small-scale producers, consumers and chefs who safeguard this heritage.
Leaving Addis Ababa, I carried with me the spirit of a living declaration that goes beyond words and takes root in our fields, kitchens, schools and policies. I was reminded of the annual Harare Good Food and Seed Festival and other seed fairs and community events in Southern Africa, where local chefs prepare delicious meals using indigenous ingredients sourced from small holder farmers. These fairs are powerful spaces that showcase the richness of African food and highlight the commitment of SKI partners to securing healthy food systems rooted in locally produced crops and traditions. They also create vital opportunities for sharing knowledge and building solidarity across the continent, reminding us that our strength lies in celebrating and protecting our food heritage together.
As SKI, we remain committed to advancing agroecology and farmer-led seed systems while standing in solidarity with smallholder farmers who continue to nourish Africa with their hands, hearts and cultural practices.
