Month: September 2021

Sep 7, 2021 | Press Release

AGRF 2021 Summit kicks off to transform Africa’s food systems

Stakeholders call for investment, collaboration and inclusivity in agriculture; a post pandemic priority to tackle hunger and grow value of Africa’s agricultural sector

Nairobi September 7, 2021 – The AGRF 2021 Summit kicked off today in Nairobi, Kenya convening close to 7,000 participants virtually, including African presidents, agriculture Ministers, agricultural stakeholders and experts to discuss ways the continent can transform food systems and accelerate progress to eradicating hunger and poverty.

Hosted by the Government of Kenya, through the Ministry of Agriculture, the summit starts today and will run till Friday, 10th September under the theme of ‘Pathways to recovery and resilient food systems. In line with the upcoming global UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS), the AGRF Summit intends to unite and elevate a single coordinated voice to the UNFSS, that will call for accelerated progress and post pandemic recovery towards inclusive agricultural transformation.

Kenyan president, H.E Uhuru Kenyatta, will lead a presidential summit comprising 10 African heads of State to review the gains made in Africa’s agricultural landscape. The Summit will also advocate for the implementation of policy and political decisions necessary to drive food systems transformation on the continent.

This year’s Summit will include a commitments showcase, where AGRF partners and key stakeholders will highlight initiatives and commitments to transform food systems and accelerate Africa’s delivery of the 2030 targets.  

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) Board Chair H.E. Hailemariam Dessalegn said that the Summit marks a defining moment for transforming the continent’s food systems.

“Africa’s agriculture transformation will only happen if we collectively decide to advance past commitments. We know the binding constraints that have hindered progress in achieving national and continental agriculture priorities. This Summit brings us together to collaborate and hone our leadership and technical skills useful in unlocking sector implementation challenges. By actioning commitments and discussing challenges on our way, we can partner to empower African communities.”

A key session during the Summit includes a Farmers’ Forum. The forum, will put a spotlight on the continent’s farmers and discuss pathways to ensure they are thriving and contributing to building resilient food systems for the continent. Summit sessions will also look at how youth and women can be included and engaged to transform the continent’s food systems capitalizing

on their large numbers and education capacity, helping to provide guidance for policy, and evidence-based approaches that foster productive participation.

Kenya’s Minister for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and   Cooperatives, Hon. Peter Munya, said youth and women need to be the cornerstone of any solution for transforming Africa’s food systems.

“Engaging the youth and women in achieving food systems transformation is key to realising inclusive progress in the agriculture sector. Today, African youth and women represent an indispensable resource and as Government, we are tasked to ensure their energies and talents work to achieve our nation’s food and nutrition agenda. The Youth Town Hall during this summit will be integral for leaders and agricultural stakeholders to listen and chart ways the youth can be employed to advance food systems transformation, and I hope this roadmap will be embraced by other African countries.”

The Acting Managing Director AGRF, Ms. Jennifer Baarn said: “The AGRF 2021 Summit is critical for Africa’s agricultural and food systems development. However, if we do not advance the commitments we make today and throughout this week, we will not get to zero hunger.  As Africa reels and rebuilds from the impact of COVID-19, rebuilding efforts must include smallholder farmers, the youth and women as they represent a sizeable percentage of Africa’s population. Our discussions should be inclusive and our plans hereafter should be achievable.”

Media contact – agrf-media@hudsonsandler.com

Evelyne Wangui – +254 726 087 451

Eugene Nganga – +254 703 516 173

About AGRF 

The AGRF is the world’s premier forum for African agriculture, bringing together stakeholders in the agricultural landscape to take practical actions and share lessons that will move African agriculture forward. Under AGRF’s current strategy, the Forum is particularly focused on driving progress of the Malabo Declaration by 2025 as the priority set of commitments African Heads of State and Government have made to strengthen agricultural development at the center of the continent’s overall development and progress. The AGRF is organised by the AGRF Partners Group, a coalition of institutions that care about Africa’s agriculture transformation. https://agrf.org/

About the AGRF Partner’s Group 

The AGRF Partners Group is made up of 26 leading actors in African agriculture all focused on putting farmers at the center of the continent’s growing economies. Members include: African Development Bank (AfDB), African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP), African Union Commission (AUC), Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Bayer AG, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), CGIAR System Organization, Corteva Agriscience, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Government of Rwanda, Grow Africa (AUDA-NEPAD), Heifer International, IKEA Foundation, International Development Research Center (IDRC), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Mastercard Foundation, OCP Group, Rockefeller Foundation, Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU), Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH), Syngenta Foundation, The Tony Blair Institute, UPL Limited, US Agency for International Development (USAID), Yara International ASA. 

| Press Release

Africa Agriculture Status Report 2021 Unveiled at AGRF Summit in Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya – September 7, 2021: The 2021 Africa Agriculture Status Report (AASR21) was launched today at the AGRF Summit in Nairobi, Kenya. The report addresses the challenges and opportunities in the creation of sustainable and resilient agri-food systems in Africa. It explores what Building Resilient and Sustainable Food Africa Systems entails, and calls for the necessary actions by governments, pan-African organizations, bilateral and multilateral development partners, and the private sector. 

“This year’s AASR21 details the practical steps all stakeholders from governments and regional organizations to the private sector need to take to rebuild and enhance Africa’s food systems,” said Dr. Agnes Kalibata, President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).

“The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that despite the progress we’ve made over the last decade, Africa’s food systems remain fragile to external shocks. We must take the opportunity we have to rebuild from the pandemic, to make our food systems more resilient without putting further pressure on the environment,” Dr Kalibata added.

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has registered the most rapid rate of agricultural production growth since 2000 of any region of the world. However, three quarters of this growth is driven by the expansion of crop land, over yield increases.

With Africa’s population expected to double to nearly 2,5 billion by 2050, now is the time for stakeholders to put the steps in place to increase production without compromising the continent’s natural resources.

“Raising yields and productivity on existing farmland is among the most important ways to make African food systems more resilient and sustainable. Raising productivity on existing farmland will reduce pressures for continued expansion of cropland, and preserve valued forest and grassland ecosystems and the biodiversity that they provide,” said Andrew Cox, AGRA’s Chief of Staff and Strategy.

The report outlines the priorities and next steps that must be taken by all stakeholders to achieve the transformation that will lead to sustainable and resilient agri-food systems. “The AASR21 should serve as a wake-up call of the need to act urgently to support the creation of resilient food systems and reverse or mitigate the impact we’ve seen on the environment,” said Dr. Thom Jayne of Michigan State University, and lead author of the report.

“One of the first steps is meaningfully increase public investments in agricultural research, development and extension. While agricultural R&D spending has risen over the years, in SSA public investments amount to less than 1 percent of the agricultural GDP in most countries,” Dr. Jayne added.

The report further builds on the call to action to African governments from the UN Food Systems Summit, recognizing the need for urgency in this last decade of the global effort to realize the sustainable development goals (SDGs). 

The AASR21 was launched at the 11th edition of the AGRF Summit, an annual gathering that brings together heads of state and government, agriculture ministers, members of the civil society, private sector leaders, scientists and farmers in discussions that define the future of Africa’s food systems.

Under the theme Pathways to Recovery and Resilient Food Systems, this year’s AGRF Summit will explore the pathways and actions needed to steer the continent towards food systems that deliver sufficient and nutritious food, protect the environment and create sustainable jobs.

You can view the report here.

About the AASR

The Africa Agriculture Status Report (AASR) is an annual publication that is published by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) since 2013. The AASR has become a reference point for emerging topics on agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa, such as Staple Crops (2013), Climate Change (2014), Youth in Agriculture (2015), Agricultural Transformation (2016), Smallholder Agriculture (2017), Government Capacity (2018), The Hidden Middle (2019) and Feeding Africa’s Cities (2020). The report has grown to be an important handbook for Africa’s leaders in their plans to transform the continent’s agricultural prospects. Among the trends observed in past reports include increased public private partnership, adoption of technology, use of improved agricultural inputs, a greater focus on capacity development and an expanded focus on extension services.

About AGRA

AGRA is a farmer-centered, African-led, partnerships-driven institution that is working to transform smallholder farming from a solitary struggle to survive to a business that thrives. In collaboration with its partners—including African governments, researchers, development partners, the private sector and civil society— AGRA’s work primarily focuses on smallholder farmers – men and women who typically cultivate staple crops on two hectares or less. AGRA has learned a lot from efforts during its first decade and is now recognized across the continent as a strong voice for African rural development, a prosperous agricultural economy, and for supporting thousands of small African businesses and millions of African families to improve agriculture as a way to ensure food security and improve their livelihoods.

About the AGRF

The African Green Revolution Forum was first held in 2006 as the African Green Revolution Conference (AGRC), hosted by Yara International ASA in Norway. The conference moved to Africa in 2010 with the championing of former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, who oversaw its transition to an African identity. The Forum now consists of an annual event combined with thematic platforms and activities throughout the year to ensure continuous progress over time. Kenya is the third country, after Rwanda and Ghana, to host the event twice, having successfully hosted the 2016 edition. Afterwards, Rwanda will host the event in alternate years, having been named the home of the AGRF seat. Other AGRF member countries will host the Forum in the years between. In its current format, the AGRF is organized by the AGRF Partners Group, a coalition of institutions that care about Africa’s agriculture transformation. 

For Media Inquiries Contact:

Hudson Sandler

Evelyne Wangui: +254 726 087451

Eugene Ng’ang’a: +254 703 516173

Agrf.media@hudsonsandler.com

For more information on the AGRF agenda and partners, visit www.agrf.org.

| Blog

AGRF Agribusiness Dealroom officially launched

Agripreneurs and investors can now engage in the 2021 Agribusiness Dealroom after its official launch on Day 1 of the AGRF Summit in Nairobi, Kenya on Tuesday September 7, 2021.

The Dealroom provides businesses in the agriculture and food value chains with an opportunity to access finance, mentorship, and market entry solutions to support their growth objectives. It also creates opportunities for governments to present investment opportunities, and incentives for different investors.

These objectives are achieved through partnerships in project preparation, pipeline development, project bankability, investment promotion, and by enabling policy environment. 

Participants in the Dealroom also explore trade deals and partnership opportunities that enhance sourcing from African smallholder farmers.

This year’s Dealroom was unveiled at a ceremony that brought together panellists from governments, the private sector and development organizations to discuss the investment opportunities arising from the continent’s pursuit of food systems transformation.

The session began with representatives from Kenya’s national and county governments, who presented the investment opportunities available in the country’s agriculture and food sectors.

Thule Lenneiye, the coordinator for agricultural transformation in Kenya’s Ministry of Agriculture, gave a presentation that highlighted new opportunities emerging from the Government of Kenya’s new projects, including an agri-processing hub planned for development in Naivasha, some 100km northwest of the country’s capital.   

“The government of Kenya is developing a USD55 million agri-processing hub with an annual output capacity of 320k tons, and which is set to create 27,455 jobs,” she said.

Fellow speaker Hon. James Nyoro, the governor of Kiambu County, made a case for partnerships between governments, development partners and the private sector, citing the success of a project by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) that helped transform extension support in the region.

“I am happy that AGRA has been working with us to introduce a Village-based Advisor (VBA) model in Kiambu County that has helped increase the availability of extension services to our farmers – we now have 1200 VBAs serving farmers in Kiambu county,” he said.

In the second half of the session, Sean de Cleene, Member of the World Economic Forum’s Executive Committee, and Vanessa Adams, AGRA’s Vice President, Strategic Partnerships & Chief of Party, moderated fireside chats and panel discussions that covered varied topics, including the role of private sector investment in driving inclusive agricultural transformation.

In the conversations, the Dealroom was hailed as the best platform to initiate partnerships that would deliver food security and increased household incomes in Africa.

“The Dealroom provides the tools that SMEs need to facilitate business connections and increase access to finance” – said Mark Meassick, the Mission Director at USAID-Kenya.

The Dealroom will remain active in the entire duration of the AGRF 2021 Summit, which ends on Friday, September 10, 2021. Interactions made at the Dealroom could, however, extend beyond the Summit.

| Blog

Africa Agriculture Status Report (AASR) Launch

There has never been a time in Africa when sustainability and resilience have been more important – food security and a robust agri-food system are crucial in a world where climate and health shocks are ever more prevalent.

This year’s Africa Agriculture Status report was unveiled today (Tuesday 7th September, 2021) with a focus on how we build sustainable and resilient agri-food systems, technology, job creation, market opportunities, global sustainability, enhancing nutritional quality of food products and regreening Africa through ecosystem restoration.

We know that sustainability is a key objective of development policy, but resilience has been neglected.

Dr Louise Fox, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institute, acknowledged that resilience has been taken for granted in the global North because it seems to have always been there, but no-ones knows how it got there.

This century, resilience is having its moment, highlighted by so many shocks. Now each country needs to find its own way, to develop its own path and strategy.

Dr Fox highlighted the strength of this year’s report, saying that it isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, because we have to recognise that if we are too ambitious we won’t make it. There is no 75-point plan, but there are ideas, recommendations and encouragement for how countries can find their own way forward.

Prof. Adesoji Adelaja, Michigan State University (MSU), talked of how Ebola, cholera, malaria and other endemic diseases weaken Africa’s health systems. Now there is COVID, and we can expect more in the future unless the root causes are addressed and reversed.

Meanwhile, climate change continues. These shocks, and others, must be mitigated by resilience strategies that are in addition to existing growth strategies, because it is resilience that will hasten the journey to sustainability.

Wandili Sihlobo, Chief Economist, Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa, added climate change, biosecurity, animal disease and pests as additional drivers and called for an effective policy environment and the need for tax incentives for SMEs in order to encourage investment. Private sector investment will come if policy issues are addressed, but African governments need to ramp up the pace of policy reforms and continue to invest in infrastructure.

Poor quality diet is the main driver of disease wherever you are – Africa or Europe.  Dr. Lawrence HaddadExecutive Director, GAIN, wants us to move away from hunger and talk about nutrition. 75% of Africa can’t afford a healthy diet and preventing malnutrition should be our priority – it destroys muscle, the brain and the immune system. We have the opportunity to not just focus on staples, but look beyond to the more nutritious sources, and they need to be promoted by governments. They need to look at their own procurement, in schools and hospitals, and ask if they are sending the right signals. But whatever the future holds, we must acknowledge that taking a food systems approach can seem really very complicated, a wide-angled approach is required to sequence what needs to happen and prioritise our actions.

Dr Agnes Kalibata,President, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), officially launched the ASSR 2021 report by echoing the important of nutritious food.

“Nutrition is one of our biggest challenges. There’s no continent better placed to feed its people the right food, but we just don’t know where to start when it comes to healthy eating. It’s impacting everyone, it’s costing us dollars.”

Africa cannot expand at the cost of the environment and natural resources. The cost of food is often discussed, but the true cost of food is not just monetary, it is counted in the cost to health and to the environment. Resilience is part of the solution.

Officially unveiling the report, Professor Joachim Von Braun, Director of the Center for Development Research (ZEF), said: “The AASR is here. We are standing on the launch pad and the rocket is to boost agriculture in Africa.”

| Blog

Transforming Food Systems from a Farmers’ Perspective

Eradicating hunger and achieving food security remain major challenges to humanity and to sustainability. More than 690 million people in the world are hungry, Covid19 has exacerbated this further. Indeed, farmers, who are at the core of food systems continue to adversely shoulder the agony of the crippling demand vs supply shortfall.

Dr. Agnes Kalibata, President of AGRA and UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy on Food Systems Summit gave her opening remarks at the Famers Forum citing, “7-10 people farm in Africa and hence why in this forum we are prioritizing the voice of farmers who live with everyday difficulties of agricultural systems,”. She also emphasized the facts that famers need us all to work collectively and do better to reduce climate change so as to alleviate the burden to the 7-10 farmers who are continuously living in abject poverty.

During the fireside chat moderated by Ms. Nozipho Tshabalala the CEO of The Conversation Strategist, panelists delved into discussions on the global state of farming and also if farmers are getting the fair share from their produce. As a reaction to this, Mr. Ajay Vir Jakhar Chairman of Bharat Krishak Samaj (Farmers’ Forum India) emphasized that there isn’t adequate documentation of failures. “We need to build knowledge and to document failures to achieve equitable regenerative systems, and equally incentivize farmers to create a transformative shift” he quipped.

Ms. Elizabeth Nsimadala, President, Panafrican Farmer’s Organisation (PAFO) also indicated that farmers usually get low returns because they are in the production part of the chain which is longer and riskier to which this risk isn’t distributed along the value chain actors. “There is need to engage farmers in value addition activities to move them up the values chain”, she said.

“We have not taken time to attach value to the kind of food that farmers are producing in Africa, a continent that produces the most nutritious food globally,” said Ms. Agnes Kirabo CEO, Food Rights Alliance Uganda. She stated these remarks in the equitable livelihoods roundtable. There was a passionate plea and emphasis by Ms. Kirabo to have commodity pricing as a regulatory framework in governments to improve investing by farmers for better profits.

Mr. Nga Célestin CEO, PROPAC in the same breadth indicated that small scale farmers have limited resources, with no access to markets. Modernization has equally brought conflict and climate change effects such as floods and droughts. “In the Central African region, we have to develop farming of food such as yams, cereals and other local food products and make a call to reduce social political fights to protect people against violence so as to grow the food security,” he said.

Immediately next off was the commitments framework that digested what farmers need from key value chain actors to succeed. As a response Mr. Cris Muyunda, Chair, CAADP Non-State Actors Coalition (CNC) reminded all on the Malabo Declaration that had governments commit 10 percent of their national budget yearly to the agricultural sector to grow. He urged famers to constantly hold their governments accountable to this promise and to ensure that they are involved in policy formulation that affects agriculture. “The Bi-nnual review by each government has to have farmers also speak to the reports that are generated on the agricultural progress so that numbers are not doctored,” he finalized.

Beatrice Makwenda speaking on behalf of Betty Chinyamunyamu, Chief Executive Officer, National Smallholder Farmers’ Association of Malawi (NASFAM) said that it is critical to create a conducive environment to have famers access inputs that are well priced and accessible. “Public Investment should be geared towards having more trained and qualified extension officers to support famers in the grassroots,” she said.  The key backbone of the farmers forum were the famers who were present to also give their voice to the discussions. Josephat Mokaya, a young farmer in Kenya, quipped, “I am a beneficiary of the enable youth program in Kenya. I applied because there would be grants to farmers but after joining there were no grants, governments should have mechanism to follow up this commitment for 10% funding to farmers.” Other farmers from Uganda and Malawi as well shared the sentiments that youth engagement and empowerment needs to be prioritized so as to ensure sustainable employment opportunities in agriculture.

Sep 6, 2021 | News, Press Release

Agriculture stakeholders plan sustainable and resilient food systems for Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 6, 2021: Farmers, heads of state and other government officials, scientists, and representatives of the private sector and civil society are gathering for the 11th edition of the AGRF Summit to engage on how to create a sustainable and resilient food system in Africa.

Themed “Pathways to Recovery and Resilient Food Systems”, this year’s forum will open up a robust conversation with various African leaders on ways to accelerate the process of building and developing Africa’s food systems. The Alliance of a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is one of the partners in the event hosted by the Government of Kenya.

Commenting on the summit that runs from September 7 to 10, AGRA President Dr Agnes Kalibata, emphasised the need to urgently address challenges hindering sustainable food systems such as poverty and hunger, adverse impacts of climate change and health issues.

“This is an opportunity for the continent to collaboratively define what needs to happen in order to get our food systems right. We need to focus on boosting our productivity and innovatively fixing our food system in its entirety to deliver food and nutrition security for all,” Dr. Agnes Kalibata said.

The AGRF 2021 Summit is critical for the future of Africa’s agriculture. It is a defining moment to highlight and unlock many of the political, policy, and financial commitments and innovations the continent has achieved and needed to advance the commitments made at the Malabo Heads of State Summit and towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

This years’ event also features a Virtual 2021 Agribusiness Deal Room, a matchmaking platform that aims to drive new business deals and commitments. Through the Deal Room, companies in the agriculture and agribusiness sectors have an opportunity to access finance, mentorship, and market entry solutions to support their growth objectives. It also creates opportunities for governments to present investment opportunities, promote investment incentives and engage with interested investors. Participants will also explore trade deals and partnership opportunities that enhance sourcing from African smallholder farmers.

Other highlights of the AGRF 2021 Summit include: Farmers’ Forum, announcement of the Africa Food Prize 2021 and release of this year’s Africa Agriculture Status Report.

Also taking part in the summit is AGRA’s Board Chair and former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Dr Hailemariam Dessalegn.

About AGRA

AGRA is a farmer-centered, African-led, partnerships-driven institution that is working to transform smallholder farming from a solitary struggle to survive to a business that thrives. In collaboration with its partners—including African governments, researchers, development partners, the private sector and civil society— AGRA’s work primarily focuses on smallholder farmers – men and women who typically cultivate staple crops on two hectares or less. AGRA has learned a lot from efforts during its first decade and is now recognized across the continent as a strong voice for African rural development, a prosperous agricultural economy, and for supporting thousands of small African businesses and millions of African families to improve agriculture as a way to ensure food security and improve their livelihoods.

About the AGRF

The African Green Revolution Forum was first held in 2006 as the African Green Revolution Conference (AGRC), hosted by Yara International ASA in Norway. The conference moved to Africa in 2010 with the championing of former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, who oversaw its transition to an African identity. The Forum now consists of an annual event combined with thematic platforms and activities throughout the year to ensure continuous progress over time. Kenya is the third country, after Rwanda and Ghana, to host the event twice, having successfully hosted the 2016 edition. Afterwards, Rwanda will host the event in alternate years, having been named the home of the AGRF seat. Other AGRF member countries will host the Forum in the years between. In its current format, the AGRF is organized by the AGRF Partners Group, a coalition of institutions that care about Africa’s agriculture transformation. 

For Media Inquiries Contact:

Hudson Sandler

Evelyne Wangui: +254 726 087451

Eugene Ng’ang’a: +254 703 516173

Agrf.media@hudsonsandler.com

For more information on the AGRF agenda and partners, visit www.agrf.org.

| Blog

Africa must pull together to sow seeds of food security

Courtesy: Nation Daily, Bean harvest in Djibomben village, North Togo. AFP

By Peter Munya, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives

What you need to know:

  • The government listed food security as one of its four priorities for development.
  • While we have made critical steps towards the attainment of 100 per cent food and nutrition security, a lot more needs to be done. 

In the last 10 years, Kenya’s population has increased by 32 per cent to reach 53.8 million people. Over this period, the urban population has risen from 10 million to just over 15 million.

These two factors – a general rise in population and an increase in the number of urban dwellers – have tremendously increased the pressure on the country’s food systems, calling for a rethink of how we approach our agri-food investments.

The government listed food security as one of its four priorities for development. While we have made critical steps towards the attainment of 100 per cent food and nutrition security, a lot more needs to be done. 

The focus must now be skewed to agriculture, which stands out as the backbone of the country’s economy, directly contributing 25 per cent of the GDP and another 25 per cent indirectly.

Undoubtedly, the sector can do even more than this, noting that the country’s resources, including extensive arable lands, favourable climates and a youthful population remain vastly underexploited. 

Enhance food production

Indeed, opportunities abound in agriculture for over 500,000 youth that enter the labour market every year, especially now that the government has in place structures allowing for more access to high-quality inputs, better markets and affordable finance.

These are some of the underpinning agenda that we created to centralise agricultural development in our government’s economic transformation plans. 

And with the foundation firmly in place, we now advance to a period of rapid development that will see us shift from net food importation, hunger and nutrition insecurity, and joblessness. 

This is our time to intensively tap on youth, science, technology and innovation to enhance food production, while de-risking agricultural investment. All these while enhancing intra-regional trade by harmonising policies that allow us to contribute to Africa’s food security.

Development agenda

From today, Kenya will host Africa’s heads of state and government, private sector players, farmers, scientists, youth and other partners at the AGRF Summit 2021 in Nairobi to discuss the best ways for harmonising our development agenda, for food and nutrition security plus the creation of jobs that improve the livelihoods of our people.

It is, indeed, an honour for Kenya to be hosting the AGRF 2021 Summit for the second time after the 2016 edition. The 2021 Summit comes at a critical time when the country is working towards rebuilding our food systems following the shocks brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic lay bare the fragility of our food systems, which had already been negatively affected by the effects of climate change including droughts, floods and locust invasions.

These challenges called us to rethink our approach to food production, and as we now seek to build back better. Additionally, this year’s event has more prominence because it comes in the run-up to the UN Food Systems Summit in New York, where world leaders meet later this month to review the progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

For African leaders and other food system stakeholders, the Summit seeks to consolidate our progress, objectives, plans and critical next steps for the transformation of food systems on the continent.

Mr Munya, EGH, is the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives

Sep 1, 2021 | Press Release

MEDIA ADVISORY: Invitation to attend the AGRF 2021 Summit

Nairobi, 1 September 2021 – The 2021 AGRF Summit will take place from 7th to 10th September 2021, hosted by the Government of Kenya under the leadership of President, H.E Uhuru Kenyatta.

As part of the contributions to the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS), this year’s AGRF Summit, under the banner “Pathways to recovery and resilient food systems”, aims to elevate the single coordinated African voice to the UNFSS and identify immediate actions and steps that need to be taken to accelerate progress and recovery towards inclusive agricultural transformation.

What: The AGRF 2021 Summit

When: 7-10 September 2021

Where: Hybrid – physical (invitation only at Serena Hotel, Nairobi Kenya) & virtual

How:Register here to receive updates on the AGRF Summit and to join via link

Confirmed high-level speakers at the AGRF 2021 Summit include:

  1. H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta – President of the Republic of Kenya
  2. H.E. Hailemariam Dessalegn – Former Prime Minister of Ethiopia & Chair of AGRF Partners
  3. Dr. Agnes Kalibata – President, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
  4. Dr. Gilbert Houngbo – President, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
  5. Mr. William Asiko – Managing Director, Rockefeller Foundation’s Africa Region Office
  6. Mr. Mark Meassick – Mission Director, USAID Kenya
  7. Ms. Jamie Anderson – Senior Financial Sector Specialist, Rural & Agricultural Livelihoods, CGAP/ World Bank Group
  8. Prof. Joachim von Braun – Chair, UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) Scientific Group
  9. Dr. Beth Dunford – Vice President Agriculture, Human and Social Development, African Development Bank
  10. Dr. Lawrence Haddad – Executive Director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)
  11. Dr. Simon Winter – Executive Director, Syngenta Foundation
  12. Mr. Ayodeji Balogun – Chief Executive Officer, AFEX Commodities Exchange, Nigeria
  13. Mr. Peter Bakker – Chief Executive Officer, World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
  14. Mr. Kofi Kisiedu Acquaye – Africa Coordinator, Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD)
  15. Mr. Yassine Cherkaoui – Vice President, Strategy, Innovation and Analytics, OCP
  16. Mrs. Fernanda Lopes Larsen – Executive Vice President Africa & Asia, Yara International

Below are highlights of some discussions that will take place in key plenary sessions during the Summit.

Conference highlights

  1. Parallel sessions – Parallel sessions will advance AGRF’s ten thematic platforms, which have been prioritized for delivery under its current strategy against its goals
  2. Food systems pathways – This session features fascinating headliners and thought-provoking plenary sessions focusing on food systems pathways, and perspectives from regional dialogues from East, South, Central, West and North Africa.
  3. Special Events – These are designed to showcase ideas and trending innovations by the youth, farmers, and business leaders.
  4. VIP Events – AGRF 2021 will feature Heads of State, high-level delegates and eminent thought leaders discussing status of food systems in Africa and the urgent need to transform.
  5. Participatory Events – During the midday break, you can stretch your world and interact with the exhibition space and engage in participatory events. 
  6. Commitments Showcase – 15-minute highlights from AGRA countries’ value chain projects, and partners reflecting initiatives, returns on investment, and commitments.
  7. Deal Room – Throughout the week, the AGRF Deal Room will be operating with opportunities to interact, or pick through our Content Library, find inspirational materials, and spaces for participant voices.
  8. Food Systems Innovators – A series of 5-minute videos played during the bridge segments each morning. Each clip will feature a different African innovator with an emphasis on women, youth, and SMEs.  

Journalists are advised to register to attend the summit and to receive daily highlights and invitations to daily press conferences.

To follow the Summit virtually please register here – AGRF 2021 Summit

Due to COVID-19 restrictions in-person attendance by invitation only

For interview requests and more information on the Summit please contact:

AGRF Media Hudson Sandler – agrf.media@hudsonsandler.com

Tel: +254 727 641 921

Tel: +254 703 516173

Tel: 254 721 226 406

Follow summit highlights on:

About the AGRF

The AGRF is the world’s premier forum for African agriculture, bringing together stakeholders in the agricultural landscape to take practical actions and share lessons that will move African agriculture forward. Under AGRF’s current strategy, the Forum is particularly focused on driving progress of the Malabo Declaration by 2025 as the priority set of commitments African Heads of State and Government have made to strengthen agricultural development at the center of the continent’s overall development and progress. The AGRF is organized by the

AGRF Partners Group, a coalition of institutions that care about Africa’s agriculture transformation. For more information, visit: https://agrf.org/.

About the AGRF Partners Group 

The AGRF Partners Group is made up of 26 leading actors in African agriculture all focused on putting farmers at the center of the continent’s growing economies. Members include: African Development Bank (AfDB), African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP), African Union Commission (AUC), Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Bayer AG, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CGIAR System Organization, Corteva Agriscience, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Government of Rwanda, Grow Africa (AUDA-NEPAD), Heifer International, IKEA Foundation, International Development Research Center (IDRC), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Mastercard Foundation, OCP Group, Rockefeller Foundation, Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU), Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH), Syngenta Foundation, The Tony Blair Institute, UPL Limited, US Agency for International Development (USAID), Yara International ASA.