11th SADC Multi‑Stakeholder Water Dialogue in Maseru
At the 11th SADC Multi-Stakeholder Water Dialogue hosted in Maseru, Lesotho from 29 to 30 September 2025, FANRPAN CEO and Head of Mission, Dr. Tshilidzi Madzivhandila, called for a new approach to Africa’s food systems. Set against the theme “Water Security, Innovation and Nexus Action for Regional Economic Corridors,” he described how reliable food systems, climate‑resilient water, and energy are the foundation for sustainable industrialization and thriving value chains.
Yet the need for action is acute: research shows that roughly 387 million Africans lack access to basic drinking water and 381 million lack basic sanitation, and in cities like Johannesburg, almost half of the 5.5 million residents have faced water shortages. Such scarcity threatens regional corridors, which depend on water to power farms, industries, and households.
Photo: Pannel discussion during the 11th SADC Dialogue
Reimagining Food Systems
Traditional food systems follow a straight line – resources are extracted, food is produced, consumed and whatever remains is discarded as waste. Circular food systems break this pattern. They create closed loops that recirculate water, nutrients and energy, cutting waste and greenhouse‑gas emissions while generating social and economic benefits. Globally, about one‑third of all food produced is lost or wasted, costing around US$1 trillion every year and emitting 8–10 percent of greenhouse‑gas emissions – enough to make food loss and waste the third‑largest emitter if it were a country. In sub‑Saharan Africa, an estimated 37 percent of food – roughly 120‑170 kg per person – is lost before it reaches consumers, depriving farmers of income and squandering precious water, fertiliser and energy.
Agriculture sits at the heart of the continent’s economy, employing about 60 percent of the workforce and contributing nearly a quarter of sub‑Saharan Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Women are the backbone of the agriculture sector. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, they produce between 60 percent and 80 percent of food in most developing countries, yet they face persistent barriers in accessing land, credit and inputs. With a rapidly growing population and urbanisation, Africa’s food system must deliver nutrition and health outcomes while protecting natural capital.
Circularity: An Opportunity for Jobs and Growth
Circular approaches turn these challenges into opportunities. UN Environment and the African Development Bank estimate that shifting to a circular economy could create up to 11 million jobs across Africa by 2030 and provide access to the US$500 billion global circularity market. A thriving, environmentally conscious economy could boost Africa’s GDP by 2 percent while unlocking new value chains, from composting and biogas to recycling and sustainable packaging. The African Circular Economy Facility notes that only about 13 percent of municipal solid waste in Africa is plastic, meaning there is immense scope to scale up resource recovery and regenerative agriculture.
Such models recognize that designing out waste, keeping materials in use and regenerating natural systems can open new avenues for entrepreneurship, especially for women and youth. They encourage innovative uses of water reuse, recycling and nutrient recovery – practices that are central to water security in arid regions. As Dr Henry Roman of the International Water Management Institute observed, circularity is not just about recycling – it’s about designing systems that work for people and the planet.
Takeaways from Maseru
More than 220 delegates from twelve SADC Member States gathered in Maseru to explore how the Water–Energy–Food–Ecosystems (WEFE) nexus can reshape regional corridors. Four priorities stood out:
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- Water is the lifeblood of corridors – ports, border posts, industrial parks, agro‑zones and cities all rely on secure water quantity and quality, coupled with risk‑informed drought and flood management.
- Joined‑up governance – river‑basin organisations, conservation authorities, utilities and corridor bodies must align mandates to overcome siloed planning and fragmented data.
- Inclusive growth – benefits will only last when women, youth and communities have a voice in decision‑making and share in the returns.
- Blending green and grey infrastructure – catchment restoration, wastewater reuse and other nature‑based solutions need to be paired with engineered assets to raise bankability and climate readiness.
The SADC Dialogue’s outcomes statement called on governments, river‑basin organisations, agri‑food institutions, investors and development partners to convert these priorities into action by institutionalising nexus governance, mobilising bankable green and grey projects, standardising data and forging inclusive partnerships. Only then can corridors become resilient economic systems that create jobs, secure food and energy and protect ecosystems.
Bringing Circular Food Systems to Life
FANRPAN and its partners are putting these ideas into practice through the Circular Food Systems (CFS) project. Running from 2023 to 2026 and funded by the Australian Government via the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, the project brings together the Australian National University, FANRPAN, ICRISAT, Ardhi University, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Mozambique’s National Institute for Irrigation and national ministries.
The project’s goal is to decouple growth from resource use. It blends technical innovations – from soil‑moisture tools and precision irrigation to agricultural innovation platforms – with training, mentoring and small‑business finance. This integrated approach co‑designs small and medium‑sized enterprises (SMMEs) and creates jobs, particularly for women and youth, in new circular value chains. The CFS team aims to develop integrated resource flows that minimise losses of water, energy and nutrients, promote gender equity and social inclusion, and identify scaling conditions to spread circular practices across corridors.
Evidence generated by the project will show how circular practices boost resource efficiency, decouple economic growth from resource use and empower women and youth. We anticipate lower water and energy intensity through reuse and precision irrigation, fewer post‑harvest losses and new revenue streams from by‑products, more jobs and inclusive businesses, and greater climate resilience through improved soil health, biodiversity and food security.
Where and When
Pilots are underway in Gaza and Inhambane provinces (Mozambique), Morogoro and Njombe (Tanzania), and Chivi, Murehwa and Nyamaropa (Zimbabwe). These sites lie along the Beira, Limpopo and TAZARA corridors, creating living laboratories in different agro‑ecological and market settings. From 2023/24, innovation platforms were established and the project launched. 2024/25 has seen pilot implementation and SMME co‑design; 2025/26 will focus on scaling and integrating resources, and 2026 on impact evaluation and corridor expansion. Beyond the pilot, a proposed CFS Facility will mobilise donor grants, development finance, government budgets, private investment and climate finance to support research, capacity building, pilot implementation, SMME growth and scaling.
FANRPAN CEO and Head of mission presenting the CFS objectives and outcomes during the Dialogue
Evidence from the Field
Studies by the Circular Food Systems (CFS) project team show that integrated irrigation–livestock–dryland systems can turn struggling irrigation schemes into engines of resilience and prosperity, spurring the rise of small, value‑adding enterprises. These findings stress the importance of co‑designed solutions that prioritise gender equality and youth inclusion, reduce resource consumption, optimise value chains and scale through policy reform and innovative finance. Insights from the International Water Management Institute complement this evidence, highlighting how circular economies can open new pathways for entrepreneurship and community empowerment and underscoring that water reuse, recycling and nutrient recovery are essential to water security in Africa.
Joining Forces for Change
Turning consensus into reality requires inclusive partnerships and sustainable finance. We invite governments, river‑basin organisations, investors, development banks, academia and civil society to:
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- Institutionalise the water–energy–food nexus, harmonising policies and mandates across sectors and borders.
- Invest in nature‑based and engineered infrastructure, combining restoration with efficient technology to boost resilience.
- Empower women, youth and marginalised communities through training, entrepreneurship programmes and access to finance.
- Standardise data, digital platforms and early‑warning systems to reduce losses and inform decisions.
- Mobilise blended finance and de‑risking instruments to scale circular food systems along our corridors.
As Dr Madzivhandila noted, “circular food systems are not just about reducing waste — they are about financing smarter, inclusive and climate‑resilient value chains that anchor our economic corridors.” By working together, we can decouple prosperity from resource consumption, empower communities and safeguard our shared future.
Circular food systems are not just about reducing waste — they are about financing smarter, inclusive and climate‑resilient value chains that anchor our economic corridors.
Looking Ahead
The Maseru Dialogue offered a glimpse of the future we are striving for: corridors where water, energy, food and ecosystems are managed as one, where rural and urban areas are linked through vibrant value chains, and where prosperity is shared across society. Through the Circular Food Systems project, FANRPAN and its partners are charting a course toward that future. We invite you to join us in co‑creating circular food systems that deliver nutrition, jobs and resilience for generations to come.