This paper examines the role of developing country coalitions with an exclusive or significant African membership within the agriculture debate in the ongoing Doha Development Agenda. In 2001, the Doha Declaration commenced the current World Trade Organization (WTO) round of negotiations, highlighting the desirability of enabling economic development around the world through fairer trade rules. The Doha Round heralds an historic negotiation pertaining to special and differential treatment (S&D) for developing countries, as well as non-trade concerns, by expressly noting the need for fundamental reform in the world agricultural markets within its mandate. Focusing on food security, livelihood security and rural development, I consider the roles which four developing country coalitions - Cotton 4, G-20, G-33, and G-90 - all of which were formed in 2003, a pivotal year in the agriculture negotiations, have played so far regarding these issues in the Round. Accordingly, I consider formally submitted proposals and positions held by the coalitions on these issues. My research questions how the four selected developing country coalitions have impacted the Doha Round Agriculture negotiations in this area since their inception in 2003. The objective of the paper is to help inform policy contributions which may be applied by developing countries towards improved effectiveness in negotiating these issues during the rest of the Doha round negotiations and beyond.