African food systems are characterised by numerous challenges ranging from unsustainable agricultural practices to environmental degradation and persistent food insecurity. Despite widespread recognition of the need for transformation, large-scale investments continue to reinforce harmful industrial food system models, including monocropping, chemical-intensive farming, and extractive market structures. To break this trajectory and foster resilient, equitable food systems, a strategic shift towards agroecology is imperative. Agroecology offers a science-based, socially just alternative that integrates ecological principles with food sovereignty and equity. However, scaling agroecology remains difficult, as many promising initiatives remain fragmented, underfunded and confined to small-scale projects. Shortterm, project-based funding cycles further limit their ability to drive systemic change. Philanthropy has a critical role to play in overcoming these barriers. With its capacity for long-term, flexible and risk-tolerant funding, philanthropic investment can catalyse agroecological transitions by filling financing gaps, supporting innovation and strengthening networks that scale successful models. This brief presents the Water–Energy–Food (WEF) nexus as a strategic framework for integrating agroecology into broader sustainability efforts. By aligning agroecological initiatives with WEF priorities, philanthropy can unlock new financial and technical resources to accelerate food system transformation. The WEF framework allows crosssystem dependencies and trade-offs to be made more clearly visible, highlighting the social and environmental implications of decision-making processes. Drawing on literature and case studies, this brief highlights how philanthropic organisations can leverage their resources to mainstream agroecology, bridge policy silos and drive systemic change towards sustainable, resilient African food systems.
Key recommendations for philanthropic action
1. Support policy integration: Advocate for and fund initiatives that mainstream the WEF nexus within policy frameworks to foster cross-sectoral collaboration, incentivise sustainable agroecological practices and highlight trade-offs.
2. Strengthen capacity building: Invest in farmer training programmes that promote agroecological techniques optimising WEF nexus interactions, enhancing resource management and empowering local communities.
3. Enhance research and innovation: Provide sustained funding for research on agroecology and the WEF nexus, prioritising local innovations and Indigenous knowledge to bridge knowledge gaps and inform evidence-based decision-making. 4. Promote territorial and ecosystem-based approaches: Support initiatives that enable stakeholders to address WEF challenges within specific local contexts, fostering place-based, inclusive solutions for sustainable food systems.
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