Month: September 2023

• 5400+ delegates, 5 Heads of State, 30 Ministers from 90 countries participate in the Africa Food systems Forum 2023
• Key solutions exist and must be scaled up to accelerate food systems transformation on the continent.
• Collaboration remains the beacon of progress for a food secure Africa.

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – September 8, 2023: The Africa Food Systems Forum 2023 has officially ended today with calls to scale up existing solutions to accelerate food systems transformation.

The 13th Annual Forum provided a platform to reflect on the coordinated large-scale action by the continent’s leading thinkers, policymakers, and innovators to explore the latest breakthroughs and best practices in agriculture and food systems transformation. Speakers at the Forum called for bold thought leadership to accelerate action toward translating food systems pathways and commitments into actionable strategies, particularly to address climate.  During the four-day Forum, various institutions made commitments to accelerate investments in youth and women and to build a better tomorrow.

Hon Hussein Mohamed Bashe, the Minister for Agriculture in Tanzania stated that his government was committed to putting youth and women at the center of the Food Systems transformation. He acknowledged the role of private sector and called for equitable investments.

“Smallholder farmers in Africa do not need your help, they need their right equitable share of investment in the global funding”. he said.

Mr. Amath Pathe, the Managing Director of the Africa Food Systems Forum thanked H.E Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of

Tanzania for the remarkable hospitality by her government. “This is the highest number of delegates the Africa Food Systems Forum has hosted so far, he said. He highlighted the pivotal role of country-level actions in rejuvenating food systems.

Discussions held at the Forum illustrated that collaboration remains the beacon of progress. They reinforced that partnerships among governments, businesses, civil society, farmers’ organizations, and research institutions will shape a future where sustainable and prosperous food systems shape Africa’s progress.

Read the full summit communiqué here.

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About the Africa Food Systems Forum

Africa Food Systems Forum is the world’s premier forum on African agriculture and food systems, bringing together stakeholders to take practical action and share lessons that will move African food systems forward.

For detailed information on the agenda and speakers, please visit https://agrf.org/summit/2023

The report calls for a concerted response from governments, the private sector, communities, and individuals alike in empowering Africa’s Food Systems for the Future

• 650 million Africans—50% of the continent’s population—lack economic or physical access to sufficient food.
• If AfCFTA’s goals are fully realized, 50 million people could escape extreme poverty by 2035.

DAR-ES-SALAM, Tanzania – September 5, 2023: The 2022 Africa Agriculture Status Report (AASR23) was launched today with the message that the repercussions of inaction are not just confined to hunger and malnutrition but extend to economic, social, and environmental domains, with the potential to undermine the progress made over the years. The new study underscores the need to address the challenges affecting African food systems considering the imminent threat posed by climate change, and the potential consequences of inaction.

Titled “Empowering Africa’s Food Systems”, AASR23 offers an in-depth exploration of the vulnerabilities, challenges, and transformative potential of the continent’s food systems. This timely report delves into a holistic understanding of the intricacies of African food systems from socio-economic vulnerabilities to the pivotal role of knowledge and technology, while highlighting the urgent need for innovative financing.

“This report strives to show that Innovative Finance is not just a buzzword – it is an essential tool for Africa’s journey towards sustainable, resilient, and inclusive food systems. As the continent faces the dual challenges of rapid population growth and climate change, finding new financing mechanisms will be paramount in shaping a prosperous and secure food future for all its citizens,” said AGRA President, Dr. Agnes Kalibata.

Out of the 50 indicators outlined in the Food Systems Countdown Initiative (FSCI) framework, sub-Saharan African countries are performing worse than the global average in a total of 32 indicators mostly related to diets, nutrition, and health. On the other hand, sub-Saharan African countries are performing better than the global average in the remaining 18 indicators, including those on food systems’ greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and biosphere integrity. The above is accentuated by the fact that up to 650 million Africans—50% of the continent’s population—lack economic or physical access to sufficient food to meet their minimum needs every day (BCG, 2021).

While African governments are committed to tripling intra-African trade in agricultural commodities and services by 2025 as part of the 2014 Malabo Declaration, the aspiration is far-fetched as this kind of trade continues to dwindle from its peak in 2013 to less than 15 percent in 2022. However, if fully implemented, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could raise household income by 9% by 2035 while lifting 50 million people out of extreme poverty. Africa could see foreign direct investment increase by between 111% and 159% under the AfCFTA.

The Report offers a deep dive into the underlying challenges that have historically held back the potential of the continent’s vast natural resources. Overall, despite progress in food production, processing, and distribution, significant challenges and failures persist leading to an alarmingly poor state of food and nutrition security across the continent.  The Report unveils a multifaceted web of challenges that stretch from production to consumption. While daunting, these challenges provide a clear call for a concerted response from governments, the private sector, communities, and individuals alike.

“The findings in this year’s AASR are not just a reflection of the current challenges but also a roadmap for future actions, guiding the continent towards food systems where every African will have access to sustainable healthy diets,” said Dr. John M. Ulimwengu, the Report’s lead author.

• Tanzania’s agriculture minister, Hon. Hussein Bashe said this year’s summit will place emphasis on women and youth empowerment
• The summit will set the ground for a coordinated African voice ahead of the 28^th Climate Change Convention (CoP28)

Dar es Salaam, September 4, 2023 – The 13^th annual Africa Food Systems Forum is set to convene in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from September 5-8, 2023, under the leadership of H. E President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

Under the theme ‘Recover, Regenerate, Act: Africa’s Solutions to Food Systems Transformation’ the event will bring together over 4,000 delegates, leaders, and innovators from across the globe in discussions around policy breakthroughs and innovation in agriculture and food systems transformation.

The country’s Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Hussein Bashe, emphasized that the Forum represents a significant milestone in the journey towards inclusive and sustainable food systems transformation throughout the continent.

“This year’s summit places a strong emphasis on empowering women and youth, recognizing their pivotal roles in reshaping Africa’s food landscape,” he said, during a press conference at State House, where he also officially welcomed delegates to the country.

In his speech, the Minister touched on how Tanzania is  working to address food security and job creation through the “Building a Better Tomorrow: Youth Initiative for Agribusiness (BBT-YIA),” initiative, which aims to provide agribusiness training to 200,000 youth, and support to 15,000 youth-led agribusiness ventures in Tanzanian villages over the next five years.

Aligning with these initiatives, Africa Food Systems Forum 2023 will specifically address the optimization of youth employment within Africa’s food systems, while showcasing the innovative agribusiness ventures driven by young entrepreneurs.

Amath Pathe Sene, the Managing Director of the Africa Food Systems Forum, underscored the pressing need for leadership and inclusion in tackling the continent’s food system challenges.

“It is imperative that we make our voices heard, develop solutions that are rooted in our local context, and give paramount importance to the empowerment of women and youth in the process of transforming our food systems,” he said.

In addition to driving conversation and action around Africa’s food system transformation, Africa’s Food Systems Forum 2023 will also build momentum for impactful dialogue ahead of the 28^th UN Climate Change Conference (COP 28) in Dubai, through a strong call for a coordinated African voice in climate action.

Key highlights of the Dar summit include: thematic plenary sessions with expert speakers, a ministerial roundtable involving 81 ministers, and a high-level session, where Heads of States will make commitments to advance Africa’s Food Systems transformation.

For detailed information on the agenda and speakers, please visit https://agrf.org/summit/2023/

About Africa Food Systems Forum

Africa Food Systems Forum is the world’s premier forum on African agriculture and food systems, bringing together stakeholders to take practical action and share lessons that will move African food systems forward.