On June 12, 2025, we submitted an important report to the United Nations, raising urgent concerns about the right to food and the growing influence of corporations over our food systems. The RWA brings together smallholder farmers, peasants, and rural women’s groups from countries including Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, united in the struggle for justice, dignity, and food sovereignty.
Our message is simple but strong, food is not a commodity, it is a human right. Yet, in our region, many families face daily hunger while corporations and elites shape what is produced, what is available, and who can access food. Despite government promises to improve food security and support local farming, the reality is harsh corporate giants control seeds and chemicals, pushing out traditional crops and making small farmers dependent on costly inputs. Land grabs and policies that favor agribusiness leave rural women with shrinking access to land and water, making it harder to feed their children. The spread of supermarkets and imported processed foods is replacing local markets and traditional diets, contributing to rising malnutrition and disease, especially among women and children.
The statistics are sobering. In South Africa, a thousand children die each year from preventable malnutrition. In Lesotho, nearly a third of the population struggles with severe food insecurity, even as the country exports resources like wool and water to its neighbors. Meanwhile, export-driven agriculture often means that food produced in our countries leaves for overseas markets, while local communities go hungry. Rural women—who form the backbone of African agriculture—are hit hardest, losing access to land, seeds, and fair markets.
Our submission to the UN shares both the hardships faced by our communities and our hope for change. We believe that ending hunger and food insecurity is possible, but only if we challenge the concentration of power and put people before profit. By standing together and raising our voices, we can demand food systems that respect the right to food for all, today and into the future. Download Our Full Submission Here.
If you want to know more about our work, visit www.ruralwomensassembly.org.
