Russia’s New Pitch to Africa: Feed the Continent by Producing More at Home

Russia - Africa

As Russia deepens its influence across Africa through trade, diplomacy and security partnerships, it is increasingly turning its attention to a challenge that affects hundreds of millions of people across the continent: food security.

At a recent Russia-Africa session held during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Russian officials and business leaders outlined a strategy aimed at helping African countries reduce their dependence on imported agricultural inputs and build stronger domestic food production systems. The proposal reflects a broader shift in Moscow’s engagement with Africa, moving beyond military cooperation and commodity trade toward long-term economic partnerships.

The central argument is straightforward. Africa’s food challenge is not simply a question of producing more crops. It is also about ensuring that farmers can afford the tools needed to increase yields.

For many smallholder farmers, fertilizers remain prohibitively expensive. While supplies are available on global markets, transportation and distribution costs often push prices beyond the reach of the farmers who need them most. As a result, fertilizer usage across much of Africa remains significantly below global averages, limiting agricultural productivity and leaving countries vulnerable to food shortages.

Russian fertilizer producer Uralchem believes the solution lies closer to home.

Speaking during the forum, company executives argued that exporting greater volumes of fertilizer alone would not solve the continent’s food security challenges. Instead, they proposed establishing localized production facilities and regional storage hubs across Africa, reducing transportation costs and creating more resilient supply chains. The approach is designed to make fertilizers more accessible to farmers while strengthening agricultural value chains within African economies.

The proposal comes at a time when food security has become one of the defining economic issues facing the continent. Population growth, climate-related disruptions and rising global commodity prices have placed increasing pressure on governments to boost domestic agricultural production and reduce dependence on imports.

Several African countries have already demonstrated what is possible when agricultural investment aligns with favorable conditions. South Africa, for example, is forecasting what could become the largest maize harvest in its history, generating a substantial export surplus capable of supporting regional food supplies. The development highlights the role that increased productivity can play in strengthening food security beyond national borders.

Russia’s interest in African agriculture is also tied to its growing role in global food markets. Moscow has become one of the continent’s largest suppliers of wheat and agricultural commodities. Trade volumes have expanded steadily in recent years, with Russian agricultural exports to Africa surpassing $7 billion in 2024. Countries including Kenya, Egypt, Sudan and Cameroon have all increased purchases of Russian grain as demand for affordable food imports continues to grow.

Yet Russian officials argue that Africa’s long-term food security cannot depend solely on imports.

Increasingly, African governments are seeking to build local processing industries, expand fertilizer production and strengthen agricultural supply chains within their own borders. Russian policymakers and industry leaders say future cooperation should support those ambitions by helping countries produce, process and distribute more food domestically rather than relying exclusively on external suppliers.

The success of such efforts will depend on more than private investment. Agricultural experts and industry leaders point to the importance of government support, including subsidies, infrastructure development and policies that help farmers access financing and modern farming inputs. Without those measures, even the most ambitious supply-chain initiatives may struggle to deliver meaningful improvements at the farm level.

For Africa, the conversation reflects a larger shift taking place across the continent. Food security is increasingly being viewed not simply as a humanitarian issue, but as a question of economic sovereignty. Countries are looking for ways to produce more of what they consume, reduce vulnerability to global market shocks and create agricultural systems capable of supporting rapidly growing populations.

Russia’s latest proposal positions fertilizer production and agricultural industrialization as part of that vision. Whether the strategy succeeds will depend on execution, investment and political commitment. But the broader objective is clear: a future in which Africa is not merely a consumer in global food markets, but a continent capable of feeding itself.