Over 600 African faith leaders have come together to demand reparations from the Gates Foundation for ecological and social damages linked to industrial agriculture. Organized by the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) and supported by various networks, they emphasize the need for a food future in Africa that is locally rooted, ecologically sound, and socially just.
Their open letter, launched on October 29, 2025, during the “Advancing Gender Equity in Climate Leadership” event, builds on a 2020 appeal urging the Foundation to stop supporting the industrial agriculture model promoted by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), which has been connected to increased hunger and environmental degradation.
Gabriel Manyangadze of SAFCEI highlighted that instead of alleviating poverty, AGRA’s approach has deepened financial dependence and harmed smallholder communities. He called on the Gates Foundation to recognize these harms and invest in restoring African farmers’ and ecosystems’ resilience.
The letter emphasizes the disproportionate impacts on women farmers. Ulfat Masibo, from the Africa Muslim Women Action Network, asserted that reparations are crucial for addressing the damage done by industrial agriculture, calling for investments in women’s leadership and local food systems.
Doreen Badze from Zimbabwe pointed out that chemical farming has devastated soils and communities, advocating for a return to agroecological practices that heal both the earth and relationships. Overall, the faith leaders argue that the Gates Foundation’s support of industrial farming contradicts the aim of eradicating hunger and poverty.
They advocate for a shift towards agroecology as a viable path to food sovereignty and ecological restoration, with the letter open for signatures until the end of November 2025.
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