But progress has not been equal, with Africa experiencing a slight increase in the number of undernourished people, from 296 million to 306 million. Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlinesThe most effective strategy would be to improve Africa's agricultural productivity and maintain progress against extreme weather events such as droughts and flooding. RESEARCH AND INNOVATIONSecond, Africa must increase investment in agricultural research and development to unlock sustainable productivity gains. Currently, most African countries allocate less than 1% of their agriculture sectors' share of GDP to agricultural research and development. Food security starts with healthy soil and sustainable productivity growth, which will require adopting regenerative farming practices, investing in agricultural research, and embracing new technologies.