29–30 October 2026 | Nairobi, Kenya
The 17th Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security (ADFNS) was commemorated on 29–30 October 2026 at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, under the theme “Harnessing Sustainable Water for Resilient Agrifood Systems, Nutrition Security and Inclusive Prosperity in Africa.” Convened by the African Union Commission in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and the Government of Kenya, the event brought together governments, regional organisations, development partners, researchers, civil society, private-sector representatives and young agripreneurs to strengthen Africa's response to hunger, malnutrition and climate-related challenges.
The commemoration took place at a pivotal moment, marking the first year of implementation of the Kampala Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Strategy and Action Plan 2026–2035. It also aligned with the African Union's 2026 focus on sustainable water availability and safe sanitation.
From food production to nutrition security
The discussions highlighted the need to move beyond increasing agricultural production towards ensuring access to affordable, safe, nutritious and diverse diets. Water security emerged as a critical link connecting agricultural productivity, food safety, public health, climate resilience and economic opportunities.
Opening the technical discussions on 29 October, Kenya's Principal Secretary for Agriculture, Dr Paul Ronoh, called for concrete commitments and implementation rather than repeated policy declarations. He stressed the importance of improved water management, stronger partnerships, youth participation and increased investment in sustainable food systems.
George Esunge Fominyen, World Food Programme Representative to the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, emphasised the interdependence of water, food security and nutrition. He highlighted the potential of school feeding programmes to connect local agricultural production with improved nutrition and reliable markets for smallholder farmers.
Representatives of the World Health Organization, FAO, CGIAR, the Scaling Up Nutrition Civil Society Alliance, the private sector and African farmers' organisations also contributed perspectives on strengthening food systems and translating continental strategies into national action.
Four thematic priorities
The technical programme on 29 October addressed four interconnected priorities:
Climate-resilient water management for sustainable agrifood systems, including water harvesting, efficient irrigation, adaptation to drought and sustainable natural-resource management.
Safe water, soil health, food safety and healthy diets, highlighting the connections between agricultural practices, environmental health, nutrition and food quality.
Youth, innovation and digital solutions, exploring how young agripreneurs, researchers and technology developers can contribute to sustainable food systems transformation.
Financing, partnerships and governance, examining investment mechanisms, institutional cooperation and accountability for implementing the Kampala CAADP commitments.
The programme also featured technical side events, policy exchanges and an Africa Youth Food Expo, organised around the theme “Recipes for Better Nutrition.” The Expo provided an opportunity to highlight youth entrepreneurship, culinary innovation and the nutritional value of African foods.
Beyond the farm: Addressing drought, heat and food supply chain disruptions
An important side event on 29 October, organised by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, examined how drought, extreme heat and water shortages affect food systems beyond agricultural production, including processing, transport, markets, food safety and consumer access.
The session, “Beyond the Farm: Drought, Heat and Food Supply Chain Disruption,” was moderated by Dr Henri Rueff, Director of Climate Action at the Alliance. Opening contributions were provided by Dr Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg, Managing Director for Africa at the Alliance, and Dr James Wanjohi, Agriculture Secretary in Kenya's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
The technical presentations brought together:
Farayi Zimudzi, FAO Representative in Kenya, on anticipatory action and food-system resilience.
Dr Christine Chege, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, on research evidence and markets for healthy diets.
Dr Eileen Bogweh Nchanji, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, on gender equality and social inclusion.
Susan Moywaywa, Kenya's State Department for Forestry, on forests, water catchments and food systems.
Melanie Thurber, US Embassy in Nairobi, on drought and food-system management.
Ruth Okowa, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), on food safety and nutritious food markets.
Mehrdad Ehsani, Rockefeller Foundation, and Charles Opiyo, Novo Nordisk Foundation, on financing and partnerships.
The session's agenda concluded with discussions on priorities for strengthening food-system resilience and translating research evidence into practical interventions under national CAADP implementation plans.
Indigenous foods and neglected and underutilized species: An opportunity for Africa
The 2026 commemoration also highlighted the importance of diversifying African diets and strengthening local food systems. This creates an important opportunity to advance the conservation, production, processing and commercialisation of neglected and underutilized species (NUS), often referred to as Forgotten Foods.
Traditional cereals such as sorghum and millet, indigenous vegetables, African legumes, roots and tubers, and locally adapted fruits can contribute to dietary diversity, agricultural biodiversity and climate resilience. Many of these crops are well adapted to local agroecological conditions but remain insufficiently integrated into research agendas, agricultural investment programmes and formal markets.
Their wider adoption requires more than increased production. It depends on improved seed systems, participatory research, food processing, consumer awareness, enterprise development and stronger connections between producers and markets.
The Africa Youth Food Expo offered a particularly relevant platform for promoting innovative food products, local culinary traditions and entrepreneurship based on African agricultural biodiversity.
Relevance to GFAiR's Collective Actions
The priorities discussed during Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security are closely aligned with several Global Forum on Agricultural Research and Innovation (GFAiR) Collective Actions.
The Collective Action on Forgotten Foods seeks to strengthen the recognition and use of NUS through research partnerships, innovation, value-chain development and market opportunities. Its activities connecting African producers, researchers, entrepreneurs and diaspora food markets are particularly relevant to the conference's emphasis on nutritious diets, inclusive economic development and African food heritage.
The Collective Action on Agroecology and Biopesticides contributes to sustainable production systems by promoting agroecological practices, biological crop protection and innovations that can reduce environmental pressures while strengthening farmers' resilience.
The Collective Action on Inclusive Digital Agriculture explores how digital advisory tools, including Access Agriculture's Ask Agi, can make practical agricultural knowledge more accessible to farmers, extension workers and rural entrepreneurs.
The Global NARS Consortium, facilitated through GFAiR, also provides an opportunity to strengthen the participation of national agricultural research systems in implementing the Kampala CAADP Strategy, connecting research institutions with policymakers, farmers' organisations, universities and private-sector partners.
From continental commitments to local implementation
The second day of the commemoration, 30 October, included a ministerial and permanent secretary dialogue on “Water, Sanitation and Hygiene as Foundations for Nutrition Security and Agrifood Systems Transformation,” alongside a youth dialogue bringing together chefs, innovators and agripreneurs.
The programme envisaged the presentation of a Nairobi Communiqué and Call to Action on Water, Nutrition and Food Systems Transformation, aimed at strengthening political commitment, investment and accountability.
The central message emerging from the discussions was that Africa's food and nutrition security challenges cannot be addressed through agricultural production alone. Sustainable water management, nutritious local foods, inclusive markets, scientific innovation, youth entrepreneurship and coordinated public policies must form part of an integrated transformation of agrifood systems.
For agricultural research and innovation partnerships, the priority is to translate these commitments into locally adapted solutions that deliver measurable benefits for farmers, consumers and rural communities.
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