Episode 9 
Conversation With Raj Patel

In this episode of The Battle for African Agriculture, host Dr. Million Belay engages in a deep and wide-ranging conversation with Raj Patel — activist, economist, filmmaker, and author of Stuffed and Starved and The Value of Nothing. Together, they unpack the roots of Africa’s dependence on food imports and the global trade structures that sustain it. Raj traces how colonialism and capitalism created an unequal food trade system — one where debt, structural adjustment, and international financial institutions like the IMF, World Bank, and WTO shaped African economies around export crops and dependency. Drawing from history, he explains how food aid, trade agreements, and corporate power continue to reproduce colonial patterns, while local production remains undermined.

The discussion dives into neocolonial control through finance, the lingering influence of USAID and global aid systems, and how policies designed in Washington and Geneva dictate Africa’s food future. Raj highlights the resilience of African farmers, the dangers of the Green Revolution, and the ongoing misuse of the language of “food sovereignty” by powerful institutions. He explained how agroecology, territorial markets, and public procurement systems can restore autonomy — emphasizing that real food sovereignty is about power, equality, and democratic control over food systems, not just production.

In his closing reflections, Raj calls on Africa’s youth to join the fight for justice, engage in collective activism, and reclaim the continent’s food future from neocolonial trade regimes.

Listen to the full conversation on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, RSS and across all our social media platforms.

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