The food security project in Adjumani is not only a local development story; it is also a policy story. The experiences of farmers cultivating indigenous crops, confronting land pressures, and working toward food sovereignty reveal important lessons about justice-based development. However, many of the policies that shape Africa’s economic landscape are not made only locally; they are also influenced by international policy frameworks, many of which are designed and debated in places like Brussels. This is where AEFJN Brussels plays an important role. Our mission is to ensure that the lived realities of African communities—like those in Adjumani—are brought into European policy discussions.
AEFJN operates as a bridge between African communities and European decision-making spaces. Evidence gathered through initiatives such as the Adjumani agroecology project helps inform our engagement with European institutions. In Brussels, AEFJN regularly participates in policy dialogue through platforms such as the European Commission Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) InfoPoint, European Parliament working groups, and civil society and policy dialogue platforms. In these spaces we present evidence from African communities affected by issues such as land grabbing, extractive industries, mining governance, agricultural sustainability, and food sovereignty. By doing so, we ensure that policy debates are informed not only by economic models but also by the realities experienced on the ground.
The challenges described in Adjumani—such as land access, food security, and sustainable agriculture—are not isolated issues. They are connected to larger global economic dynamics, including trade, investment, and resource governance. For example, many African countries are rich in natural resources, yet communities often experience limited benefits from resource extraction. This is why AEFJN engages policymakers on issues such as responsible business conduct, corporate accountability, transparent supply chains, environmental protection, and fair distribution of resource benefits. These principles are essential if development policies are to promote justice rather than deepen inequalities.
One current policy debate in Brussels concerns the EU Critical Raw Materials Act, which aims to secure access to minerals needed for the green and digital transition. From the EU perspective, this policy responds to legitimate concerns about supply chain security. However, from the perspective of many resource-rich countries in Africa, several concerns arise. The policy primarily focuses on securing raw materials for European industries, diversifying EU supply sources, and accelerating mining projects, yet it provides limited guarantees regarding fair value distribution in producer countries, local industrialisation, environmental protection, and community participation in decision-making. Without these safeguards, there is a risk that Africa continues to function primarily as a supplier of raw materials, while higher-value industrial processes remain elsewhere. This is precisely the kind of issue where voices from communities—like those represented in the Adjumani project—must inform policy debates.
AEFJN’s work also illustrates the distinctive role of faith-based organisations in development advocacy. Faith-based networks bring several unique strengths: long-term presence within local communities, grassroots credibility and trust, moral authority rooted in ethical principles, and transnational networks connecting Africa and Europe. Because of these connections, we are able to amplify the voices of communities that are often absent from international policy discussions.
The experience of Adjumani reminds us that development cannot be measured only through investment figures or economic growth. True development must be assessed according to whether it protects land rights, strengthens sustainable agriculture, safeguards the environment, and promotes dignity and justice for communities. By linking grassroots engagement in Africa with policy advocacy in Brussels, AEFJN works to ensure that development policies reflect the realities faced by communities on the ground. Ultimately, sustainable and inclusive development will only be achieved when justice becomes the guiding principle of economic and political decision-making.
