As Africa and the world claws back from the devastating impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the invasion of Ukraine by Russia dealt another blow. A year later, and the world is still grappling with the lingering repercussions of the war. Africa is no exception.
The ongoing war significantly impeded the continent’s economic development and recovery efforts. The continent is bearing the brunt of food shortages, climate shocks, a massive public debt burden, and inflation, given its heavy reliance on imports. According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), the invasion resulted in a significant deficit of about 30 million tons of grains in Africa, coupled with a steep increase in costs. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said that Africa’s food security faces more threats because of the disruptions in the supply chain of critical agricultural inputs, such as fertilisers imported from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.
Rising global inflation and soaring global food…
