DAR ES SALAAM, June 16 -- The uncertainty surrounding the future of the United States Food for Peace programme has reignited a debate that Africa can no longer afford to postpone: the continents dependence on external systems for its food security.

For decades, Food for Peace has served as one of the largest sources of emergency food assistance for developing countries, including many across Africa. Yet recent changes in Washington suggest the programme is shifting away from a purely humanitarian focus toward a model more closely aligned with American agricultural and trade interests.

While the changes are being debated in the United States, the implications for Africa extend far beyond aid budgets. They raise fundamental questions abou...