Africa Food Systems Forum opens with bold call for systemic change

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Africa Food Systems Forum opens with bold call for systemic change

Dakar, Senegal, September 1, 2025 — Africa’s largest gathering on food and agriculture, Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF), opened today with AGRA unveiling a powerful package of partnerships designed to unlock private capital, strengthen resilience, and elevate the voices of Africa’s youth.

The announcements come as the Africa Food Systems Report 2025 reveals a continent of progress and paradox: agricultural output has grown faster in Africa than anywhere else in the world at 4.3 percent annually since 2000, yet one in three African children is still stunted.

“Africa cannot afford piecemeal progress,” said Alice Ruhweza, President of AGRA. “We must seize this moment to scale inclusive innovations, attract investment, and put farmers, youth, and small businesses at the center of our food systems.”

Investing in Africa’s “Hidden Middle”

AGRA, in partnership with the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF), launched Africa100, a catalytic initiative targeting 100 anchor firms across 12 countries. These often-overlooked small and medium sized enterprises, (the “hidden middle”), link farmers to markets, create rural jobs, and drive resilience.

AGRA also announced collaboration with the governments of Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania to establish Investible Flagships, which are national pipelines of bankable projects that advance food security, climate resilience, and youth employment.

Transforming Poultry for Nutrition and Jobs

To boost affordable protein and rural livelihoods, AGRA introduced a Poultry Transformation Package, including:

Southern Africa Poultry Initiative, culminating in the first Poultry Futures Forum in Dar es Salaam, in October 2024.

Poultry Feed Innovation Grand Challenge, with AECF and the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU), to unlock inclusive, cost-cutting feed solutions across Southern Africa.

Elevating Youth and Storytellers

Youth are taking center stage with new initiatives:

• A partnership with Global Citizen, the international advocacy organisation, to amplify African youth voices transforming food systems and unlocking resources for agricultural-led growth.
• The Africa Media Fellowship Award, co-created with Farm Radio, nurturing the next generation of storytellers.
• A Farm Radio partnership tapping into 1,300+ stations across seven markets to reach millions of smallholder farmers directly.

“Africa’s young people are not just the future,” added Ruhweza. “They are today’s farmers, innovators, and storytellers, and their voices must shape the global food narrative.”

Linking Nutrition to Markets

In collaboration with African First Ladies and the Rockefeller Foundation, AGRA announced a School Meals Coalition that links smallholder farmers with school feeding programs, ensuring nutritious, locally sourced meals while creating steady markets for farmers.

A Call for Systemic Change

The Africa Food Systems Report 2025 warns that progress remains “real but fragmented” and calls for bold systemic transformation. AGRA’s new initiatives respond with catalytic finance, investible value chains, and platforms for youth and advocacy.

“Our message is clear,” said Ruhweza. “Africa’s food future is not just about producing more; it’s about producing better. By investing in SMEs, empowering youth, and building resilient markets, we are building systems that nourish, employ, and prosper.”

About AGRA
AGRA works with governments, the private sector, and partners to transform agriculture across Africa. Since 2006, it has supported thousands of SMEs and millions of farmers, strengthening markets, improving seed and input systems, and catalyzing investment.

About AECF
AECF (Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund) is a leading non-profit development organization that supports innovative enterprises in the agribusiness and renewable energy sectors with the aim of reducing rural poverty, promoting resilient communities, and creating jobs.

Media Contact
Communications Office – AECF
Email: fwachira@aecfafrica.org