By Phakamani Lisa, Specialist: Government and International Relations – Africa, Anglo American, and Member of the B20 Sustainable Food Systems & Agriculture Task Force
Food is not a privilege – it is a matter of dignity.
Having access to food and having sustainable food systems that nourish people and create livelihoods should not depend on circumstance. Yet across a continent as abundant as Africa, too many still go to bed hungry. That is why the work of the B20 Sustainable Food Systems & Agriculture Task Force is so important: because food security is one of the most pressing challenges of our time, and one that demands both urgency and partnership.
For me, being part of this task force is a privilege and a responsibility. The conversations happening here – on access to food, the resilience of value chains and the shocks that affect both producers and consumers – go to the heart of inclusive growth. It’s about ensuring that farmers are recognised as central actors in development, and that policy and investment systems reward their contribution to our societies and economies.
Anglo American’s participation in the B20 goes beyond sponsorship. It’s about shaping the agenda, not just supporting it, by bringing decades of experience in policy engagement, community partnerships and sustainable development to the table. Mining and agriculture might seem like separate worlds, but on the ground, they often meet. Our operations coexist with agricultural land, sharing resources like water, soil and infrastructure. This overlap gives us a unique perspective on how industry can help create balance, contributing to food security through stewardship, restoration and enterprise development.
Across our host communities, we have seen how partnership creates lasting value. Through Zimele, our Enterprise Development Programme, we finance and support entrepreneurs and small businesses, including many in agriculture and agro-processing. These enterprises strengthen local food production, build resilient supply chains and expand market access. Globally, Anglo American has rehabilitated thousands of hectares of land for agricultural and conservation use, restoring ecosystems and opening pathways for new livelihoods once mining ends.
In water-scarce regions such as Chile and Peru, our operations have co-invested in shared water infrastructure, including reservoirs, irrigation systems and water recovery technologies that support both mining and farming communities. These examples show what is possible when industries think beyond their operational boundaries and invest in solutions that serve both people and the planet.
What makes the B20 process meaningful is its emphasis on co-creation. Solving global food security challenges cannot happen in isolation. We need government, business and civil society working together to design systems that are both practical and context-specific. Africa brings deep experience in this regard. We have some of the world’s richest ecosystems, the most diverse agricultural zones and the most innovative farmers. The continent should not only be a receiver of ‘best practice’, as many of those best practices were pioneered here. From sustainable soil management to smallholder innovation, Africa continues to show how resilience is built from the ground up.
This is why our voice matters in global policy discussions. It ensures that recommendations emerging from forums like the B20 reflect our realities – from the needs of smallholder farmers to the balance between land use, resource management and community well-being. The goal is not simply to be heard, but to help shape frameworks that recognise Africa’s capability to feed itself and, ultimately, the world.
At Anglo American, we see this alignment between mining, agriculture and sustainability as part of our broader purpose: re-imagining mining to improve people’s lives. That means contributing to ecosystems that last well beyond the life of an operation – ecosystems that strengthen local economies, preserve biodiversity and enable food systems to thrive.
The real measure of progress will be that no child, no family and no community goes to bed hungry in a continent so rich in potential. For that, we need collaboration, policy coherence and investment in inclusive, resilient systems.
Food security is not only an economic issue; it is a question of human dignity. The B20 gives us a platform to ensure that this truth guides action and that business plays its part, not as a bystander, but as a catalyst for equitable, sustainable and future-ready food systems.