The Battle for African Agriculture Podcast || Episode 9 Raj Patel

In this hard-hitting episode of Battle for African Agriculture, Dr. Million Belay speaks with renowned activist and economist Raj Patel to unpack the deep-rooted structural forces that drive Africa’s dependency on food imports. From the legacy of colonial trade routes to the enduring grip of institutions like the IMF, World Bank, and WTO, Raj lays bare how global trade rules have been rigged to benefit the Global North—leaving African nations rich in arable land paradoxically dependent on imported staples. This is more than a policy failure—it’s a neocolonial trap disguised as development. Raj and Million explore how structural adjustment programs hollowed out local production, how “free trade” continues to undermine food sovereignty, and why agroecology holds the key to a more just and self-sufficient future. With clarity and urgency, Raj calls for a radical reimagining of global trade, spotlighting grassroots resistance and policy shifts that can restore agency to African farmers and communities.