CLIMATE CHANGE, FOOD SECURITY, AND THE GEOPOLITICS OF AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION: PROSPECTS FOR AFRICA IN AN ERA OF GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS

Publication Details

Publication Date

10/08/2026

Volume / Issue

Vol 1, Issue 3 (2026)

Article No.

046

Journal

British Journal of Contemporary Research

DOI

https://doi.org/10.67693/BJCR-HT8P8Q2D

Received

27 Jul 2026

Views

25

Downloads

12

Abstract

Climate change has emerged as one of the defining challenges of the twenty-first century, profoundly reshaping agricultural systems, food production, and socio-economic development across the globe. Africa, despite contributing less than four percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, remains disproportionately vulnerable to climate-induced shocks. Concurrently, geopolitical tensions have intensified food insecurity by destabilizing agricultural input markets, increasing fertilizer prices, constraining food imports, and exposing the continent's dependence on external food systems. These overlapping crises have renewed global attention on agricultural transformation as a strategic pathway toward sustainable food security, economic resilience, and regional self-sufficiency. This study examines the intricate relationships among climate change, food security, geopolitical dynamics, and agricultural transformation in Africa. Drawing upon secondary qualitative data from international organizations, peer-reviewed literature, policy documents, and empirical reports, the study employs Political Ecology Theory, Food Regime Theory, and the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework to analyze how environmental change and geopolitical competition influence agricultural production systems and food governance across the continent. The paper argues that climate change and geopolitical disruptions should not be viewed merely as isolated threats but as interconnected drivers of structural transformation requiring integrated policy responses. The findings suggest that Africa possesses considerable opportunities to transform its agricultural sector through climate-smart agriculture, regional value chains, digital agriculture, biotechnology, renewable energy, irrigation expansion, and implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). However, realizing these opportunities requires substantial investments in infrastructure, governance reforms, climate finance, technological innovation, and regional cooperation. The study concludes that Africa's long-term food security depends less on expanding cultivated land than on building resilient agricultural systems capable of adapting to climatic uncertainties and geopolitical volatility. Strategic investments in agricultural transformation can reposition Africa from being a net food importer to becoming a globally competitive agricultural powerhouse.

License

This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License . Free to read, share, and adapt with attribution.