Battle For African Agriculture Podcast

Is the future of farming rooted in biology or chemistry? Vijay Kumar, who played a key role in establishing one of the world's largest government-supported natural farming programs in Andhra Pradesh, India, shares his insights on why he believes industrial agriculture is flawed and what Africa can learn from India's experience. In this AFSA podcast, Million Belay poses a significant question: can natural farming become the primary method of food production instead of remaining an alternative on the fringes?

**In this conversation:**

- Why soils aren't deficient in nutrients but are lacking in...

What happens when farmers lead the transition to agroecology, and what does the economic evidence say? In this episode, Dr Million Belay (AFSA) talks with Tsuamba Bourgou of Groundswell International and economist Vanja of Altos Impact about a farmer-to-farmer movement in eastern Burkina Faso that has been growing for over a decade.

We look at the numbers from a study of more than 400 farmers. Yields rise from about 320 kg/ha to over 1,400 as practices are stacked. Advanced agroecological farmers out-produced their neighbours in one of the driest seasons on record. We also hear why fertilizer subsidies fail...

Why are Western Kenya's soils so exhausted, and what happens when farmers stop waiting for outside help and start fixing the land themselves?

In this episode of The Battle for African Agriculture, Dr Million Belay, General Coordinator of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), speaks with Ferdinand Wafula of Bio Gardening Innovations in Kenya. Ferdinand traces how agrochemicals, monocropping and a colonial legacy left farmland tired and farmers dependent, and how farmers are now restoring soil health by making their own fertiliser.

Guest: Ferdinand Wafula, Bio Gardening Innovations, Kenya

Host: Dr...

In this episode, Dorothee Marie Lisenga shares how stories of struggle and resilience are being used to defend land rights, amplify Indigenous voices, and fight for justice and food sovereignty across Africa.

Dr Million Belay talks with Dolar Vasani, author of Pink Bucket, about how her cancer diagnosis led her to investigate glyphosate and our broken food system.

🎧 Battle for African Agriculture is on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music.

#Glyphosate #FoodSystems #Agroecology #AFSA

Border wars: The fight against illegal pesticides

I smuggled to survive, the realities of women in cross-border trade

THEY WANT TO CONTROL AFRICA’S FOOD — AFRICA IS FIGHTING BACK

Wanjira Mathai on carrying her mother's Legacy through Food, Climate justice & the Environment.

Can social movements transform agriculture? In this episode of The Battle for African Agriculture, Million Belay sits down with renowned agroecologist Dr. Peter Rosset to explore how organized peasant movements in Cuba and across Latin America helped build one of the world's largest agroecology movements. Together, they examine why agroecology is more than a farming practice it is a science, a social movement, and a pathway to food sovereignty. Drawing on Cuba's remarkable transition during its food crisis, Peter shares powerful lessons on farmer-to-farmer learning, the limitations of industrial agriculture, and what Africa can learn from Latin America's experience...

In this episode of The Battle for African Agriculture, Dr. Million Belay sits down with Professor Miguel Altieri, one of the world's foremost pioneers of agroecology, to explore why biodiversity is the foundation of resilient farming and why the future of agriculture depends on working with nature not against it. Drawing on more than four decades of research and collaboration with farmers and social movements across Latin America and beyond, Professor Altieri explains how agroecology strengthens food systems through biodiversity, healthy soils, traditional knowledge, and ecological resilience. He also reflects on the origins of agroecology, challenges the Green Revolution...

In this episode of The Battle for African Agriculture, Million Belay speaks with renowned agricultural biodiversity scientist Dr. Awegechew Teshome, whose work across Africa, Asia, and Latin America reveals why seeds are the foundation of food security, biodiversity, and sovereignty. Drawing on more than three decades of research, he explains how farmers have been the original innovators, developing resilient crops through generations of knowledge, selection, and conservation.

Together, they unpack the hidden battle over seed ownership, the impacts of the Green Revolution, the rise of seed patents and biotechnology, and why Africa's rich agricultural diversity is key...

In this episode, Million Belay, together with Professor Stephen Gliessman explore why agroecology is far more than ecological farming it is a political, cultural, and social movement that challenges the structures shaping our food systems. For over five decades, Professor Stephen Gliessman has been at the forefront of agroecology, helping transform it into one of the world’s most influential approaches to sustainable food systems. Drawing on 50 years of research and collaboration with farmers, he reflects on the failures of industrial agriculture, the power of Indigenous and local knowledge, the importance of seed sovereignty and youth leadership, and why ge...

In this episode of The Battle for African Agriculture, host Dr. Million Belay sits down with Ugandan lawyer, policy advocate, and food systems activist Dr. David Kabanda to unpack one of the most overlooked dimensions of African agriculture: law and governance.

From food sovereignty and corporate concentration to the East African Agroecology Bill and the urgent need for legal frameworks that protect farmers, biodiversity, and indigenous food systems, Dr. Kabanda argues that agriculture is far more than food production—it is about power, justice, and the future of Africa itself.

Together, they explore why agroecology re...

In this episode of The Battle for African Agriculture Million Belay sits down with Hon. Françoise Uwumukiza, Member of the East African Legislative Assembly and Deputy Secretary-General of the African Food Systems Parliamentary Network, for a candid conversation about the future of African food systems. From climate change and the struggles of smallholder farmers to agroecology, women's cross-border trade, corporate influence, ultra-processed foods, and the loss of indigenous food knowledge, Hon. Uwumukiza argues that Africa's greatest challenge is not a lack of policies, but the failure to implement them. She calls for stronger support for farmers, protection from h...

Are we witnessing a new, silent colonization of Africa through its food and data?

In this eye-opening episode of the Battle for African Agriculture Podcast, host Million Belay sits down with Hon. Gideon Gatpan, Chairperson for the Committee on Agriculture, Tourism, and Natural Resources at the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).

Together, they pull back the curtain on the hidden corporate battles taking over African soil.

From foreign-backed "Green Revolutions" pushing banned chemical fertilizers to the dangerous rise of GMOs and corporate seed monopolies,

Gatpan delivers a chilling warning...

In this episode of The 3-Part Conversation on The Battle for African Agriculture Podcast with, Pat Mooney, we explore the deepening crisis in the global food system and the opportunities embedded within it, unpacking how corporate control of seeds and food systems continues to reshape agriculture, while also examining the future of agroecology, multilateral institutions, and Global South solidarity. The discussion reveals why food is ultimately about power and justice, and why agroecology must be understood not only as a science but also as a movement, with African actors holding more influence than is often recognized. It further reflects...

In this episode of The Battle for African Agriculture, Million Belay sits down once again with Pat Mooney, founder of the ETC Group and long-time mentor in global struggles for food sovereignty. They unpack the hidden dangers of gene editing, synthetic biology, and AI in agriculture technologies promoted as “solutions” but often deepening dependency and corporate control. Pat reflects on Africa’s biodiversity, the scramble for seeds, and the role of Big Tech in reshaping farming. He also shares a powerful story of resistance: how global civil society defeated “Terminator seeds.” This conversation is a call to vigilance and collective...

In this opening episode of a 3-part series, Million Belay sits down with legendary activist, ETC Group co-founder Pat Mooney to uncover the hidden history of corporate control over agriculture. From the 1960s to today, Pat traces how seeds once shared by farmers across the world became privatized, patented, and concentrated in the hands of a few powerful corporations. He reveals how the Global South supplied the genetic foundation of global agriculture, only to lose control over it through systems of intellectual property, policy shifts, and what he famously called “biopiracy.” This conversation breaks down the key turning points that...

In this episode of The Battle for African Agriculture, Million Belay sits down with food systems scholar and activist Professor Molly Anderson to unpack the hidden power structures shaping global agriculture. She draws out linkages from colonial legacies and corporate influence to donor-driven agendas and the politics of food sovereignty. Molly also exposes how dominant narratives continue to shape who controls food, land, and agricultural policy across Africa and beyond. They also explore why the Green Revolution model continues to dominate despite mounting evidence of its failures, how institutions like the World Bank and IMF influence agricultural policy through...

In this episode of Battle for African Agriculture, Million Belay talks with Christopher Wali Magala, the Team Leader at Alwana Natural Farms, a veteran farmer and former government Agricultural Extension officer, about his shift from conventional farming to agroecology. He shares how biodiversity, intercropping, and local knowledge transformed his farm in Mukono, restoring soil and ensuring food security. He also boldly challenges the dominant narratives around GMOs and monoculture.

In this episode of Battle for African Agriculture, Million Belay speaks with Jennifer Clapp, Canada Research Chair in Global Food Security and Sustainability and Professor in the School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability at the University of Waterloo, Canada, and a member of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems. She explains how a handful of corporations came to dominate seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and farm machinery, locking farmers into industrial systems built on monocultures. The conversation examines the technological and policy “lock-ins” shaping farming choices, the financialization of food and its impact on price volatility, and trade rule...

In this episode of Battle for African Agriculture, Million Belay speaks with researcher and global policy expert Lim Li Ching about the rapid rise of digital agriculture. Drawing from the IPES-Food report “Head in the Cloud,” they explore how alliances between Big Tech and agribusiness are reshaping farming through data platforms, AI, and cloud computing. They examine data extractivism, farmer autonomy, seed sovereignty, and the political nature of innovation.

In this episode of Battle for African Agriculture, Million Belay speaks with ETC Group researcher Jim Thomas about the powerful shift from GMOs to digital platforms, artificial intelligence, and biodigital technologies. As corporations move from selling inputs to harvesting data, African farmers risk being locked into new systems of dependency disguised as innovation.

In this episode of The Battle for African Agriculture, Million Belay speaks with tech critic and journalist Edward Ongweso Jr. about biodigitalisation, data extraction, and corporate power in food systems. They unpack how “smart agriculture” can lock farmers into platforms, shift control to corporations, and threaten food sovereignty unless Africa charts its own path.

In this episode of the Battle for African Agriculture, Million Belay speaks with Tunisian executive chef and writer Wafik Belaid on food, culture, and sovereignty in North Africa. They explore how the Sahara, spice traditions, and deep regional influences of the Ottoman, Andalusian, Berber, Jewish, and Roman shape Tunisian food. He challenges colonial narratives, urging schools, youth, chefs, and governments to centre local cuisine, support farmers, and preserve authenticity for generations.

In this episode of The Battle for African Agriculture podcast, Million Belay speaks with renowned Kenyan chef Njathi Kabui about African food as culture, resistance, and power. Drawing from his upbringing on a subsistence farm near Mount Kenya and his work across Africa and activism in the United States, Chef Kabui explains how African cuisine shapes identity, health, and sovereignty. He challenges ultra-processed and “programmed” foods, explores food justice and statecraft, and argues that reclaiming African food systems is essential for Africa’s future.

In this episode of The Battle for African Culture, host Million Belay sits down with Chef Sekamotho Mirriam Moteane from Lesotho to explore food as memory, identity, and resistance. From childhood lessons in her mother’s kitchen to documenting disappearing Basotho recipes, Mariam reflects on sorghum, traditional grains, and the cultural knowledge passed down through elders, women, and community rituals. She shares a powerful story of a “wind whisperer,” challenges the dominance of Western food systems, and reminds us that reclaiming food sovereignty begins with valuing our own cuisine. #BattleForAfricanAgriculture

#MyFoodIsAfrican

#Agroecology

#SeedSovereignty

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In this episode of the podcast, Million Belay speaks with global food policy expert Timothy A Wise to unpack the failures of the Green Revolution, AGRA’s unfulfilled promises, and Mexico’s powerful stand against GMOs. Drawing on decades of research and his book Eating Tomorrow, Tim reveals how corporate and donor influence continue to shape African agriculture while small-scale farmers offer proven, sustainable solutions. This conversation explores the political forces behind industrial agriculture, the growing evidence of health and environmental risks, and the urgent need to shift toward agroecology and farmer-led approaches.

In this episode of The Battle for African Agriculture, Million Belay speaks with Stacy Malkan a journalist, public health advocate, and co-founder of U.S. Right to Know to uncover how agrochemical corporations have shaped global food systems through propaganda, scientific manipulation, and political influence. Drawing from years of investigative work, Stacy reveals the hidden tactics behind GMO promotion, the health and environmental impacts of glyphosate, the corporate capture of universities and regulators, the lessons from Mexico’s fight to protect native corn, and the growing push to impose similar models in Africa. This conversation offers essential insights for an...

In this episode of The Battle for African Agriculture, Dr. Million Belay speaks with Professor Michael Antoniou, a molecular geneticist whose decades of work in medical biotechnology give him a rare insider view on the limits and dangers of applying genetic engineering to agriculture. Although he uses gene technologies in tightly controlled clinical settings, he explains why releasing genetically modified and gene-edited crops into the environment is scientifically risky, poorly regulated, and fundamentally different from their use in medicine.

In this episode, Million Belay speaks with Mariam Mayet, founder of the African Centre for Biodiversity, about Africa’s decades-long resistance to GMOs and corporate control of food systems. They trace the history of anti-GMO activism, the rise of philanthrocapitalism, and the failures of industrial agriculture across the continent. Mariam shares powerful insights on protecting Africa’s seed sovereignty and why agroecology rooted in traditional knowledge and small-scale farming is the continent’s path to a just, sustainable, and self-reliant food future.

In this episode of the Battle for African Agriculture podcast, Million Belay speaks with Anne Maina, the National Coordinator of the Biodiversity and Biosafety Association of Kenya (BIBA Kenya). Anne shares her journey into advocacy and the work BIBA does to promote biosafety and food sovereignty. She explains how the organization pushes back against the influence of GMOs in Kenya, which are often backed by corporate and philanthropic interests. The conversation covers the health, legal, and policy issues surrounding GMOs in Kenya. Anne stresses that true food security is about access, not just availability. She highlights the importance of...

In this sharp and thought-provoking episode of Battle for African Agriculture, Dr. Million Belay is joined by Dr. Michael Hansen—Senior Scientist at Consumer Reports and globally respected authority on genetic engineering and food safety. Drawing on over two decades of work in policy advocacy and international regulation, Dr. Hansen breaks down the science and politics behind genetic modification, highlighting the risks of GMOs, pesticide reliance, and the corporate control of seeds. He explains how the global push for industrial agriculture—under the guise of innovation—is eroding biodiversity, endangering food safety, and undermining seed sovereignty, particularly in the Global...

In this episode of The Battle for African Agriculture, Million Belay speaks with theologian and activist Michael Tettey about how colonialism disrupted African spirituality, identity, and food systems. Tettey reflects on the deep ties between indigenous beliefs and traditional food practices, and how missionary churches altered these connections—labeling sacred foods as taboo and weakening communal rituals around food. The conversation explores how colonial religious teachings reshaped African ecological ethics and cultural identity.

Together, they discuss the need to decolonize African minds and food systems by reconnecting with indigenous spirituality and values. Tettey emphasizes the importance of yo...

In this hard-hitting episode of Battle for African Agriculture, Dr. Million Belay speaks with renowned activist and economist Raj Patel to unpack the deep-rooted structural forces that drive Africa’s dependency on food imports. From the legacy of colonial trade routes to the enduring grip of institutions like the IMF, World Bank, and WTO, Raj lays bare how global trade rules have been rigged to benefit the Global North—leaving African nations rich in arable land paradoxically dependent on imported staples. This is more than a policy failure—it’s a neocolonial trap disguised as development. Raj and Million explore...

Nnimmo Bassey is one of Africa’s most respected environmental defenders and a leading voice for ecological justice and food sovereignty. An architect, poet, and lifelong activist, he co-founded Environmental Rights Action in Nigeria, led Friends of the Earth International, and now directs the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF). His fearless resistance to oil multinationals and his defense of local communities have earned him international acclaim, including the 2010 Right Livelihood Award. Bassey has spent decades confronting the extractive industries and corporate systems that threaten Africa’s people, ecosystems, and food systems. In this episode of The Battle for Afri...

In this second part of Battle for African Agriculture with Professor William G. Moseley, Dr. Million Belay continues a powerful exchange that began in their first conversation. Building on the themes introduced in Part One, Moseley dives deeper into the colonial legacies shaping African food systems and the urgent need to reclaim indigenous agronomy and agroecology. Together, they push the discussion further—examining how political choices, power structures, and global market forces continue to undermine smallholder farmers while highlighting pathways toward food sovereignty rooted in African contexts. This follow-up episode sharpens both the critique and the call to action, of...

In this thought-provoking episode of Battle for African Agriculture, Dr. Million Belay sits down with Professor William G. Moseley—geographer, author, and outspoken critic of colonial agricultural models—to unpack the urgent need to decolonize African food systems. Drawing from his landmark book Decolonizing African Agriculture, Moseley explains how the failures of food security efforts across Africa are rooted in Western agronomic paradigms imposed through colonial and neocolonial institutions. Through decades of fieldwork in Mali, Burkina Faso, South Africa, and Botswana, he reveals how political power—not just scientific logic—has shaped agricultural policy, often to the detriment of smallhol...

In this enlightening episode of Battle for African Agriculture, Dr. Million Belay is joined by Peter Gubbels, a veteran champion of agroecology and food sovereignty in West Africa. Drawing on decades of work across the Sahel with Groundswell International, Peter unpacks how colonial histories continue to shape the region’s agricultural policies, land use, and governance. From distorted food systems to degraded ecologies, he traces the deep scars left by colonialism—and shows how post-colonial aid and development models often reproduce these injustices under new names.

But Peter’s message is far from despairing. He shares powerful exampl...