31 August - 5 September 2025. Africa food Systems Forum.

The Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) is the continent’s premier platform for advancing agricultural transformation and food systems change, bringing together governments, farmers, researchers, private sector leaders, youth, women, and development partners to shape Africa’s food and nutrition future. Held annually, it provides space for high-level dialogue, evidence-sharing, investment brokering, and partnership-building around key issues such as climate resilience, sustainable production, digital innovation, trade, and inclusion. The Forum is designed to accelerate progress on food security, nutrition, and prosperity by aligning policies, scaling research and innovations, and mobilizing resources to strengthen Africa’s role in global food systems while ensuring that solutions are driven by African priorities and voices.

01/09 Opening ceremony

Moderator Mr. Larry Madowo, CNN International Correspondent

Interaction with Youth and President

H.E. Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, President, Republic of Senegal
H.E. Paul Kagame, President, Republic of Rwanda

Youth

Ms. Siny Samba, CEO, Le Lionceau
Mr. Moustapha Sy Ndiaye, Founder, Maraz
Ms. Claudia Senghor, Agroeconomist & Founder, AGROBABE
Ms. Fahima Mohamed Ismael, Agri-influencer & Founder, CarroMaal
Ms. Adja Boudy Kante, Founder & CEO, Cereal House

Extracts of the programme

Below are the sessions in the AFSF 2025 program that are linked to agricultural research, with their speakers/panelists where specified.

31/08 From Research to Impact: Aligning CGIAR & TAAT Innovation Pathways with CAADP (Special Event)

Organized by CGIAR
Focus: linking CGIAR & TAAT research outputs to CAADP implementation

31/08 Transformative impact through youth and insects (Special Event – ICIPE)

Organized by ICIPE
Focus: insect-based food and feed innovations, science-driven approaches

31/08 Youth as Innovators & Entrepreneurs in African Seed Systems (Special Event – AGRA)

Organized by AGRA
Focus: seed systems innovation, youth engagement, research-to-market linkages

01/09 Plenary – African Food Systems Year in Review: Holding Ourselves Accountable, How Much Have We Progressed?

This plenary was designed as a stock-taking and accountability exercise, reviewing how far Africa has advanced in transforming its food systems since the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit and subsequent commitments. It highlighted progress made on agricultural productivity, climate resilience, nutrition, gender inclusion, and investment flows.

The session also launched the Africa Agriculture Status Report (AASR)—presented by John M. Ulimwengu (IFPRI/CGIAR)—as a flagship evidence base for measuring continental progress and identifying gaps. FAO, IFPRI/CGIAR, Heifer International, and partners used the platform to assess whether policy commitments and investments are translating into tangible results for farmers, youth, and women, and to explore the role of innovation and accountability frameworks in sustaining momentum.

Moderator Dr. Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Managing Director, CGIAR
Opening Remarks H.E. Marie Khone Faye, First Lady, Republic of Senegal

H.E. Nardos Bekele-Thomas, CEO, AUDA-NEPAD
H.E. Rachel Ruto, First Lady, Republic of Kenya
H.E. Zita Nyangue Oligui, First Lady, Gabonese Republic
H.E. Jeannette Kagame, First Lady, Republic of Rwanda

Setting the Stage

Dr. Abebe Haile-Gabriel - Assistant Director General, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
H.E. Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki - Former Prime Minister, Republic of Niger & African Union Special Envoy on Food Systems, AUDA-NEPAD

Launch of the Africa Food Systems Report (AFSR)

Mr. Andrew Cox, Director of Strategy and MEL, AGRA
Dr. John M. Ulimwengu, Senior Research Fellow, Development Strategies and Governance Unit, IFPRI

Panelists

Dr. Lawrence Haddad, Executive Director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)
Eng. Geoffrey Mamba, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Republic of Malawi
Ms. Nancy Iraba, CEO, Healthy Seaweed Co

• Food Systems Highlights

Mr. Amath Pathé Sene, Managing Director, Africa Food Systems Forum & Regional Director for West Africa, AGRA
Dr. Khaled Eltaweel, Senior Program Coordinator, UN Food Systems Coordination Hub

• Infrastructure, Innovations & Industrialization – Meeting Youth Needs

Mr. Chen Xi, Mayor of Sanya, People’s Republic of China
Dr. Canisius Kanangire, Executive Director, African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF)
Ms. Zoe Karl-Waithaka, Managing Director and Partner, BCG Consulting
Prof. Appolinaire Djikeng, Director General, ILRI
H.E. Amb. Festus Bizimana, Ambassador of Rwanda to Senegal, Republic of Rwanda

• Investment Room Launch – Mobilizing Capital for Youth Innovation

Ms. Binta Touré Ndoye, Board Member, AGRA
Mr. Sunru Yong, Partner & Co-Director, Dalberg
Dr. Maximo Torero Cullen, Chief Economist, FAO

Commitments Review – Building a Brighter Future

Dr. Tom Thompson, Global GAP Report, Virginia Tech
Mr. Mehdi Filali, Vice-President West Africa, OCP Africa o Ms. Wambui Chege, Director, Agrifood Systems, Mastercard Foundation o Ms. Nomsa Daniels, Board Member, Heifer International
Closing Remarks H.E. Moses Vilakati, Commissioner, Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE), African Union Commission (AUC)

01/09 Researchers Forum – Education of Young Scientists: Attracting Youth to Research, Science, and Innovation

Moderator: Dr. Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg (Alliance Bioversity & CIAT)
Dr. Simeon Ehui (DG, IITA & CGIAR Regional Director)
Dr. Namukolo Covic (CGIAR, African Nutrition Society)
Dr. Pierre Kadet (IDRC)
Dr. Moctar Toure (Académie des Sciences et Techniques du Sénégal)
Dr. Moses Siambi (CIMMYT)

Mentorship / bridges panel:

Ms. Kira Everhart-Valentin (Gates Ag One)
Dr. Canisius Kanangire (AATF)
Dr. Shenggen Fan (CAU)
Ms. Katelyn Runyan-Gless (AgriCorps)
Dr. Suzie Newman (ACIAR)

Enabling environments:

Mr. Maram Kaire (Senegalese Spatial Agency, ex-NASA)
Dr. Abdou Tenkouano (icipe)
Dr. Jean Luc Chotte (IRD)
Dr. Ginya Truitt Nakata (The Nature Conservancy)
Closing: Hon. El Hadj Abdourahmane Diouf (Minister of Higher Education, Research & Innovation, Senegal)

02/09 Healthy & Productive Ecosystems: Africa Fertilizer & Soil Health Initiative

This session brought together a rich array of political leaders, technical experts, and development practitioners to bridge the gap between policy promise and practical implementation in restoring Africa's soils. Moderated by media personality Femi Oke, the conversation was structured across two panels: one emphasizing political commitment, with senior policymakers and AUDA-NEPAD and YPARD representatives; the other focused on resource mobilization, featuring leaders from FARA, OCP Africa, CIFOR-ICRAF, the Gates Foundation, Yara, the World Bank, and ISfAR. Topics spanned from addressing the persistent funding gaps and strategies to de-risk procurement and distribution of fertilizers, to repurposing existing financing in ways that genuinely benefit farmers. The dialogue urged bold investment in building resilient, nutrient-rich soils, and closed with a call for accelerated operationalization of the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan, with inspiring closing remarks from H.E. Moses Vilakati that underscored inclusive approaches aligned with AU and regional roadmaps.

Political Leadership Panel: Driving Commitment

Hon. Marième Soda Ndiaye – Director-General of the Food Security and Resilience Commission, Republic of Senegal
Hon. Ahmed El Bouari – Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, Kingdom of Morocco
H.E. Paul Gulleik Larsen – Special Envoy, Ambassador-at-Large for Food Security, Norway
Prof. Dr. Obert Jiri – Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Republic of Zimbabwe
Dr. Ildephonse Musafiri – Special Advisor to the CEO on Agriculture and Food Systems, AUDA-NEPAD
Dr. Maru Shete Bekele – Advisor to the State Minister of Agriculture, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Ms. Chidinma Mary Ezeh – FarmCAS Team Lead / Country Representative, YPARD Nigeria

Resource Mobilization Panel

Dr. Aggrey Agumya – Executive Director, FARA (Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa)
Mr. Mehdi Filali – Vice-President, West Africa, OCP Africa
Dr. Leigh Ann Winowiecki – Global Research Leader, CIFOR-ICRAF
Dr. Christian Witt – Senior Program Officer for Soil Health, Gates Foundation
Mr. Oystein Botillen – Director, Strategic Partnerships, Yara International
Dr. El Hadj Adama Touré – Practice Manager – Agriculture and Food Global Practice, World Bank
Dr. Mamadou Moustapha Diokhane – Researcher, International Society for Academic Researchers (ISfAR)
H.E. Moses Vilakati – Commissioner, Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, inclusive approaches that engage women, youth, pastoral communities, and marginalized groups, while aligning with the African Union Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan and ECOWAS–Sahel roadmaps.

02/09 Digitalisation & AI 4 Next Gen

This forward-looking plenary spotlighted how Africa’s youth are driving food systems transformation through technological innovation. Moderated by Femi Oke, a fireside chat featuring communications, agriculture, and development leaders—from Senegal, Rwanda, Nigeria, IFAD, and CGIAR—framed the policy priorities and enablers for digital adoption. The session’s core, however, was the youth-led innovation panel, showcasing dynamic digital agriculture solutions from agritech entrepreneurs like Adesuwa Ifedi (Heifer Africa), Bruk Getahun (Chip Chip Inc.), Benjamin Addom (Commonwealth digital trade advisor), and Alloysius Attah (Farmerline).

They demonstrated how data, mobile tools, and AI are enhancing productivity, climate resilience, and market access. On the resource mobilization front, representatives from the World Bank, Bayer, IDInsight, and Senegal’s Spatial Agency outlined pathways to scale and finance digital innovations. Closing remarks by FAO’s Maximo Torero emphasized the importance of inclusive digital ecosystems built in partnership with youth, ensuring all farmers benefit from technological breakthroughs.

Fireside Chat Participants

Hon. Alioune Sall, Minister of Communication, Telecommunications and Digital Affairs, Republic of Senegal
Hon. Dr. Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe, Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Republic of Rwanda
Hon. Sen. Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Federal Republic of Nigeria
Dr. Alvaro Lario, President, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
Dr. Sandra Milach, Chief Scientist, CGIAR

Youth & Innovation Panel: Digital Agriculture

Ms. Adesuwa Ifedi, Africa Senior Vice President, Heifer International
Mr. Bruk Getahun, Co-founder, Chip Chip Inc (Ethiopia)
Mr. Benjamin Kwasi Addom, Advisor, Agriculture and Fisheries Trade Policy (Digital), The Commonwealth
Mr. Alloysius Attah, CEO, Farmerline

Resource Mobilization Panel

Ms. Beryl Agengo, Digital Agriculture Specialist, The World Bank
Mr. Jens Hartmann, Head of Europe, Middle East & Africa Crop Science Division, Bayer
Ms. Fatim Haby Mariko, Senior Manager, IDInsight
Mr. Maram Kaire, Director, Senegalese Spatial Agency & Former NASA official

02/09 Empowering Women in Agri Food Systems

The keynote address by Dr. Susan Kaaria (AWARD) set the tone, spotlighting the pivotal role of women researchers in shaping Africa's agricultural future. A high-impact panel then convened representatives from AfDB, FAO, IDRC, AGRA, and Welthungerhilfe to dissect barriers and opportunities for women in agrifood systems. Their dialogue emphasized gender-responsive policies, inclusive financing, capacity building, and leadership pathways for women—especially in nutrition, health, and research domains. The session closed with insights from Dr. Mbaye Sene (CNDN) and Rania Dagash (WFP), who connected the dots between gender, policy frameworks, and nutrition outcomes, underlining that empowering women is essential for resilient, equitable, and nutritious food systems across Africa.

Keynote: Dr. Susan Kaaria (AWARD)

Panel Discussion – Empowering Women in Agri-Food Systems:

Dr. Jemimah Njuki, Director – Gender, Women, and Civil Society, African Development Bank (AfDB)
Dr. Lauren Phillips, Deputy Director – Rural Transformation and Gender Equality, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Dr. Pierre Kadet, Director – Climate-Resilient Food Systems Division, International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
Ms. Nana Amoah, Director – Gender, Youth & Inclusiveness, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
Ms. Bettina Iseli, Chief Program Officer, Welthungerhilfe (WHH)

Panel Discussion – Nutrition and Gender:

Dr. Mbaye Sene, Executive Secretary, National Nutrition Development Council (CNDN)
Ms. Rania Dagash, Assistant Executive Director, World Food Programme (WFP)

Panel Discussion – High Impact Nutrition Interventions & Outcomes

Dr. Roy Steiner, Senior Vice President, The Food Initiative, Rockefeller Foundation & Board Member, AGRA
Dr. Bosibori Bett, Director – Multilateral & Strategic Partnerships, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)
Ms. Sokayna Bellam, Founder, Jodoor, Kingdom of Morocco
Ms. Surita Sandosham, President & CEO, Heifer International
Ms. Siny Samba, CEO, Le Lionceau

02/09 Thematic Session: Nutrition & Health

Moderator: Dr. Lawrence Haddad (GAIN)
Hon. Dr. Ibrahima Sy (Minister of Health, Senegal)
Dr. Mohamed Hassan Bullale (Deputy Minister of Health, Somalia)
Hon. Dr. Youba Ba (Minister of Livestock & Fisheries, Mali)
Dr. Mwaka Namukonde (Consortium of African Youth in Agriculture & Climate Change; UNFSS Youth Champion)

Policy/Programme:

Dr. Amadou Oury Diallo (ISRA)
Dr. Djibril Bagayoko (Mali Ministry of Health)
Mr. Paul Troy (Ireland DFA)
Mr. Shawn Baker (Helen Keller Intl)
Mr. Samson Ogbole (Soilless Farm Lab, Nigeria)

Youth & innovators:

Ms. Claudia Senghor (AGROBABE)
Mr. Joseph Fashola (Agrolinking)
Mr. Oliver Oliveros (Agroecology Coalition)
Ms. Aimée Wallin (Ghana Food Movement)
Ms. Efi Chatzinikolaou (Access to Nutrition Initiative)

03/09 Plenary: Governance of Food Systems (CAADP Implementation)

H.E. Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki (AU Envoy on Food Systems)
Dr. Ousmane Badiane (Akademiya2063)
Ministers of Agriculture (Rwanda, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Uganda, Italy)
Youth leaders: Hannah Rotimi-Williams, Michael Kakande, Bond Tlhagale
Donal Brown (IFAD), Dr. Martin Fregene (AfDB), Elizabeth Nsimadala (EAFF)

03/09 Thematic Session: Sustainable Production – Youth Agripreneurs & Agroecology

Moderator: Dr. Susan Chomba (WRI)
Keynote: Dr. Marco Wopereis (WorldVeg)

Youth innovators:

Crescentia Mushobozi (MbeguNzuri BiotechFarms)
Freddy Bob-Jones (Aceli Africa)
Ajuna Tadeo (YPARD)

Panelists:

Oliver Oliveros (Agroecology Coalition)
Manei Naanyu (PELUM Kenya)
Ginya Truitt Nakata (The Nature Conservancy)
Dr. Kaushik Majumdar (APNI)
Kagwiria Koome (Rockefeller Foundation)
Dongxin Feng (FAO/IAEA)
Ibrahima Sow (Senegal Presidency)
Closing: Juan Lucas Restrepo (Alliance of Bioversity & CIAT)

03/09 Thematic Session: Agri-food Systems Leadership & Governance

Moderator: Dr. Debisi Araba (Imperial College London)
Speakers: Proscovia Alando (African Food Fellowship), Ledama Masidza (Marine Conservationist), Sarah Igitego (Aflakiosk)
Panel: Prof. Kingsley Moghalu (African School of Governance), Jonathan Said (AGRA), Abdrahamane Dicko (ACBF), Anushka Ratnayake (MyAgro), Martin Bwalya (UN Food Systems Hub), Nadine Gbossa (IFAD)
Reflections: Dr. Janet Edeme (AUC), H.E. Carmen Hagenaars (Ambassador, Netherlands), Enock Chikava (Gates Foundation), Ali Badarneh (UNIDO), Peter Kaindaneh (Sierra Leone Presidential Initiative), Dr. Nteranya Sanginga (ex-IITA DG), Njoya Tikum (UNDP WACA)

03/09 AGRA-CGIAR Director Generals Roundtable (By Invitation)

Closed-door session with AGRA and CGIAR leadership.

03/09 Thematic Session: Agri-Tech & Digitalisation

Moderator: Jonathan Said (AGRA)
Case studies: Anne Dioh (MyAgro), Alexander Zanders (UfarmX), Worlali Senyo (Farmerline), William Warshauer (TechnoServe), Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba Fall (Enabel)
Panel: Birane Kane (Orange), Aisha Hadejia (Sahel Consulting), Dayo Aduroja (Heifer International), Henry Mibei (CABI), Kira Everhart-Valentin (Gates Ag One), Femi Adekoya (Integrated Aerial Precision)
Closing: Prof. Amb. Muhammadou Kah (Ambassador of The Gambia to Switzerland, Malabo Montpellier Panel)

04/09 Plenary: Biodiversity, Climate and Land – Making the Conventions Work for Africa

High-level science-policy plenary, includes researchers & Rio Convention experts.

04/09 Food Safety in the African Food System (Special Event – FCI)

Organized by Food Convergence Innovation (FCI)
Research-driven session on food safety standards and systems.

04/09 Financing Digital Agriculture & Agroecology (Special Event – CAADP-XP4 & GGGI)

Links agricultural research consortia (CAADP-XP4, CGIAR partners) to finance and scaling.

Monday, September 1, 2025

Africa food Systems Forum