5 - 8 September 2023. Africa's Food Systems Forum 2023 Summit’s theme, “Recover, Regenerate, Act: Africa’s Solutions to Food Systems Transformation
Extracts of the side events:
04/09 08:30 – 10:00 AIM for Climate: Making investments in climate-smart innovation count for women
Organizer: USAID
The Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) addresses
climate change and global hunger by uniting participants to increase investment
and support for research and development for climate-smart agriculture and food
systems innovation.
This event launched a new partnership between AIM for Climate and FAO’s innovative Monitoring and Analyzing Food and Agricultural Policies Programme (MAFAP). The partnership is focused on helping governments get better results for climate mitigation and adaptation with their current resources allocated to agriculture.
- Ms. Dina Esposito, Assistant to the Administrator - Resilience and Food Security (RFS) at
USAID, Feed the Future Deputy Coordinator for Development, & Global Food Crisis Coordinator - Dr. Nicoline de Haan, Director of CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform
- Maggie Kasiko, Gender and Youth Lead, Land o'Lakes Venture37
- Betty Kiplagat, Government & Industry Affairs Leader for Africa, Corteva Agriscience
- Elizabeth Nsimadala, President, Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF), Director, Pan African Farmers Organization (PAFO) & Director, Africa of World Farmers Organization.
- Moderator: Ms. Ann Vaughan, Senior Advisor for Climate Change, USAID
04/09 08:30 – 10:00 : Putting greens and beans at the center of nutritious and resilient food systems
50 years of research and development
experience by WorldVeg, and over 25 years of the Pan-African Bean Research Alliance (PABRA) program of the Alliance
of Biodiversity and CIAT. Panelists shared experience on
business development, home gardens, urban gardening, etc., and propose bold
priority actions for debate, as a cornerstone of a broader strategy for nutritious
and resilient food systems.
- Marco Wopereis, Director General, World Vegetable Centre
- Juan Lucas Restrepo, Director General, Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), and Global Director, Partnerships and Advocacy, CGIAR
- Gloria Phekani, Managing Director, Milele Agroprocessing Limited, Lilongwe, Malawi
- Khadija Jabri, producer, champion farmer, exporter, Tanzania
- Joyce Mulila Mitti, Consultant, Zambia, supporting the WorldVeg TAVI project in Eswatini
- Erick Nduwarugira, Senior researcher, Institute des Sciences Agronomiques du Burundi (ISABU)
- Dr. Geoffrey Mkamilo, Director General, Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI)
- Dr. Sognigbe N'Danikou, Scientist, traditional vegetable conservation and utilization, WorldVeg East and Southern Africa
- Paul Newnham, Executive Director, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 Advocacy Hub
04/09 08:30 – 12:30 : Youth in agri-food systems: Opportunities and Gaps?
Organizer: FAO, CGIAR GENDER IMPACT PLATFORM, SACAU, AGRA
The session featured compelling evidence highlighting strategies to bolster the connection
between research and business, a crucial step in facilitating investment streams
and enhancing the profitability of youth-driven agripreneurship across Africa.
- Hon. Gerald G. Mweli, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, The United Republic of Tanzania
- Mr. Edson Mpyisi, Chief Financial Economist and the Coordinator of the ENABLE Youth Program at the African Development Bank (AfDB)
- Dr. Eileen Nchanji, Gender Specialist, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT (ABC)
- Ms. Pauline Lingg, Program Designer & Manager, Ghana Food Movement
- Mr. William Madudike, President of the youth board, Zimbabwe Farmers' Union
- Ms. Beatrice S Marandu, Projects Coordinator, YouLead - Africa Youth Leadership Program
- Ms. Judith Endelesi Karia, Founder and MD, Ava Group Investment Ltd.
04/09 9:00 – 10:30 : Investing in Women – an AECF initiative to support transformation for women in agriculture
Organizer: AECF - Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund
- Mrs. Matilda Onyango Omollo, CEO of Great Lakes, current investee
- Ms. Elizabeth Swai, CEO AKM Glitters, Ex-AECF investee
- Mr. Stephen Kijazi, Embassy of Canada, and GAC representative
- Mr. Cosmas Muchina, Programme Manager, AECF, IIW BEK
- Ms. Jael Amati, Gender lead, AECF
04/09 10:00 – 12:00 : Financing Seed Companies
Organizer: CESSA - AGRA
Most seed companies in Africa are start-ups and one of the challenges they
continuously face is limited financing to enable them grow, expand and invest in
modern facilities. AGRA has previously established a special window to support
these companies with an investment of USD $26.8M but this is far below what
they need. Several financial institutions are willing to support seed companies but
for one reason or the other only a few have benefitted.
- Braison Salisali, Senior Consultant, Sundy Merchants, Tanzania
- Nicolai Roydens, MD, Naseco Seeds, Uganda
- Stephanie Angomwile, CEO, Stewards Globe Ltd/Afriseed, Zambia
- Wanjohi Ndagu, Investment Director, Pearl Capital Kenya
- Victoria Sabula, CEO, AECF, Kenya
04/09 10:45 – 12:15 : Financing Farmers Organizations for Resilience
Organizer: IFAD, SAFIN, AFEX
The event addressed challenges faced by African farmers' organizations
(FOs) in obtaining financial support for agricultural development and resilience,
given the complexities of the current environment with crises like COVID-19, the
Ukraine crisis, and climate change.
- Moderator – Ms. Tabitha Njuguna, Managing Director, AFEX
- Opening Remarks – Mr. Bernard Hien, Regional Director of the West and Central Africa, IFAD
- Mr. Musa Sibandze, AAACO President & ICA chair (Framer)
- Ms. Teofora Madilu, Senior Manager Agribusiness, Equity Bank
- Mr. Musa Sibandze, AAACO President & ICA chair
- Closing Remarks – Mr. Frank Rubio, Senior Technical Advisor, IFAD
04/09 11:00 – 12:30 : Policy Prioritization through Value-Chain Analysis: public-private partnerships in policymaking, implementation, competitiveness, and investment.
Organizer: RENAPRI
Policy Prioritization through Value-Chain Analysis (PPVC) is a structured, replicable, market-led and phased approach that assists
governments to prioritize policies and commodity value chains in their
implementations. The approach uses high-quality models, tools, and analytics
based on credibly sourced and vigorously verified data for assessing Inclusive
Agricultural Transformation (IAT) related priorities and trade-offs associated with
alternative policy, public investment, and value chain choices.
- Dr. Lilian Kirimi, Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development, Egerton University Senior Research Fellow and Research Coordinator.
- Miss. Aika Okting'ati Aku, SUA
- Dr John Macharia, Country Manager, Kenya, AGRA
- Mr. Elifadhili Ezekiel, Head of Operation, Qstek Farm Limited Head of Operation- Private sector, Sunflower Value Chain, Tanzania
- Dr. Andrew Agyei-Holmes, Research Fellow, Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research University of Ghana
- Mr. Alan Rennison, Senior Program Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
- Dr Nalishebo Meebelo, Executive Director, ReNAPARI
04/09 11:00 – 12:30 : Agri-innovations for transformative food systems
Organizer: EAFF & ILC Africa + R&D investment for smallholder-centered innovation in AfricaOrganizer: CGIAR
Uptake of innovations is low for women yet they play a big role in
agriculture. Youth on the other hand do not like engaging in agriculture, as most
would like to settle in urban centers where they can access paid jobs mainly white
color jobs. Agriculture is not attractive to the youth due to overall profitability and
returns on investment. Value chain development at different stages of production
to marketing are still lacking.
- Jean-Claude Rubyogo, Director, Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA) / Global Bean Program Leader, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT
- Ajay Panchbhai, Regional Breeding, Seed Systems, and Product Management Lead in Africa, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
- Abdulsamad Isah, Lead Research & Extension, Extension Africa, Nigeria
- Atu Bilaro, Maize & Rice Breeder, Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI)
- Gloria Phekani, Managing Director, Milele Agro-processing Limited
- Hellen Keti, Director, Abosi Top Hill Farmers’ Cooperative, Kenya
- Representative of an R&D funding organization
- Representative of an African government
04/09 11:00 – 12:30 : From Farm to Fork for Real – How to Enhance Young People’s Employment and Entrepreneurship Opportunities Within Africa’s Agri-Food Systems
Organizer: Mastercard Foundation
This session focused on maximizing employment and entrepreneurship
opportunities for youth in the Agri-Food system.
- Mr. Fatawu Koniamu Bakari, Public Relations Officer for Ghana Society for the Physically Disabled (GSPD) and Ghana Federation for Disabled (GFD), West Gonja Municipal
- Ms. Harriet Cheelo
- Ms. Antoinette Moleele, Advocacy and Capacity Development Consultant
- Mr. Oduma Philip Dennis
- Mr. Drissa Tessougue, Country Representative of YPARD in Mali
- Ms. Nduta Kimani, Co-founder of Novelle Generation limited
04/09 11:00 – 12:30 : Agribusiness Acceleration approaches for CSA innovation, resilience, gender and social inclusion
This transformative session explored the pivotal role of science and research in
accelerating investment in climate-smart agriculture (CSA). CSA
technical assistance coupled with investment readiness can mitigate risks and
increase agribusiness bankability. Science-based acceleration approaches allow for pathways
that demonstrate socio-environmental impact, vital to scaling investment in CSA.
Let's cultivate a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agricultural future, empowering
all stakeholders to thrive.
- Ms. Mercy Zulu Hume, Venture building & Investment Specialist, Alliance Bioversity International & CIAT
- Dr. Stephanie Jacquet, Climate Research Team Leader, Alliance Bioversity International & CIAT
- Dr. Inga Jacobs-Mata, Lead of CGIAR’s Ukama Ustawi Regional Integrated Initiative for East and Southern Africa, AICCRA Zambia Cluster Lead, Southa Africa Representative, International Water Management Institute (IMWI)
- Dr. Godefroy Grosjean, Co-Lead of the CGIAR Hub for Sustainable Finance, Alliance Bioversity International & CIAT
- Mr. Angelous Kamande, Head of Investments Advisory Services, AECF
- Mr. Peter Kirimi, Regional Agribusiness Coordinator for East and Southern Africa, 2SCALE
- Ouma Sani, Manager, Women’s Investment Club Senegal
- Mr. Norman Mugisha, CEO Afri-Farmers Market
- Aminata Diallo, CEO GIE Diallo Tiama
- Vivian Sackoe (National Bank of Commerce Tanzania)
04/09 14:00 – 15:30 : Food Systems Transformation: Supporting government leadership for pathway implementation.
Organizer: GAIN, ACT4Food, Akademiya2063
This session drew on the experience of countries since the UNFSS to examine
how the delivery of practical support from different stakeholders to National
Convenors in governments can be enhanced as they advance the implementation
of their national food systems pathways.
- Dr. Nadine Gbossa, Director, Food Systems Coordination, IFAD
- Opening Remarks: Dr. Lawrence Haddad, Executive Director, GAIN
- Prisca Rwezahura, Country Director, GAIN Tanzania
- Dr. Honest Kessy, National Convenor, United Republic of Tanzania
- National Convenor (TBC from Nigeria or Kenya)
- Dr. Boaz Blackie Keizire, Head of Policy and Advocacy, AGRA
- Dr. Kelley Cormier, Food Safety Division Chief, USAID
- Ms. Hadija Jabiri, Managing Director and Founder, GBRI Ltd
- Closing Remarks: Dr. Ousmane Badiane, Executive Chairperson, Akademiya 2063
04/09 14:00 – 15:30 : The Malabo Declaration on Africa’s Agriculture: fostering coalitions of decisionmakers, and stakeholders to accelerate implementation
Organizer: Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, United Kingdom, AGRA
Though several countries have made
tangible progress in implementing actions aimed at achieving the Malabo targets,
it is evident from the most recent CAADP Biannual Reviews (2021) that more
needs to be done, and at an accelerated pace. The main objective of the session was
to foster broad-based, dynamic and informed policy actions which will help to
transform African food systems for the benefit of the peoples and governments.
- Keynote speech: Prof Sheryl Hendriks, Director, NRI, University of Greenwich
- Stocktaking on stakeholder platforms driving action in agriculture and food systems: lessons from selected NRI projects by NRI team. o Dr. Gideon Onumah; o Dr. Kate Wellard Dyer; o Dr. Louise Abayomi; o Richard Lamboll
- Dr. Godfrey Bahiigwa, Director of Agriculture and Rural Development, African Union Commission (AUC)
- Hon. (Dr) Godfred Jasaw, Member of Parliament, and Vice Chairman, Agriculture Select Committee of the Parliament of Ghana
- Stephen Ruvuga, Executive Secretary MVIWATA (a national farmers’ organisation, Tanzania)
- Dr. Apollos Nwafor, AGRA Vice President, Policy and State Capability
04/09 14:00 – 15:30 : Rural prosperity in fragile situations
Organisers: IFAD + AfDB
This session shared private businesses’ strategies to resilience building in fragile
contexts and their outcomes in terms of transformation of food systems,
business growth and increase in income/well-being of poor producers: (a) AfDB fragility analysis and its use in customizing AfDB
approach to private sector development in fragile contexts; (b) IFAD's approach to building the resilience of private sector
businesses in fragile contexts and achieving food systems transformation
drawing on evidence from IFAD programmes (IOE evaluation, fragility gap
analysis in NEN, corporate paper on fragility).
- Moderator: Ms. Rasha Omar, Country Director, Sudan, IFAD
- Mr. Simon Gitonga Taveta, Communication Officer, Solar Energy Consulting & Construction Company (SECCCO), Somalia
- Ms. Asunta Akuol Bol, Coordinator of Rural Producer Associations, VSF Germany, South Sudan
- Mr. Riadh Ben Messaoud, Coordination Manager, Transition States Coordination Office, AfDB
- Mr. Bernard Hien, Regional Director, West and Central Africa Division, IFAD
04/09 14:00 – 15:30 : Merged Event Title: Gender Responsive Policies as Drivers of Innovative Solutions for Equitable Agri-food Systems
Organizers: AWARD, African Food Changemakers
A new FAO Report (2023) provides a comprehensive picture of the status of
women in agrifood systems finds that whilst there has been some progress, there
persists substantial gender inequalities in agri-food systems. With a focus on diversity, the event featured a culmination of the Leading
African Women in Food Fellowship program.
Keynote address: Ms. Dina Esposito, Assistant to the Administrator, Bureau for
Resilience and Food Security, Feed the Future Deputy Coordinator for
Development, and the Agency’s Global Food Crisis Coordinator.
- Dr. Nicoline de Hann, Director, CGIAR GENDER Impact Platform
- Dr. Susan Kaaria (see picture), Director, AWARD
She said that when examining global organizations, it is evident that there is a significant gender inequality issue. She added that we must ensure that women play a central role in decision-making and policy formulation. - Dr. Nomathemba Mhlanga, Agribusiness Officer, FAO
- Dr. Boaz Keizire, Head Policy, Advocacy and Food Systems, AGRA
- Mrs. Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli, Founder and Executive Director, African Food Changemakers
Fireside chat featuring leading women revolutionizing African agri-food
systems
- Moderator: Anne Obize, Communications Officer, AFC
- Olutayo Adeyemi, National Nutritional Consultant o Chantelle de Bruyn, Buttercup Farmhouse
- Jacqueline Joyreen Banda, Jeyie Foods
- Moyosoreoluwa Odunfa, The Atije Experience
- Anne Kirya, For Food’s Sake Eat
04/09 14:00 – 17:30 : Defining Africa’s Fertilizer and Soil Health Vision
Organizers: AAP, CIFOR/ICRAF, CGIAR, AGRA, AFAP, IITA, GiZ
Session Brief
Session Brief
This event broought together actors in soil
health and fertilizer to share their experiences and highlight what is working for the
continent and provide practical solutions and recommendations around proven
technologies for soil fertility management, acid soils management, landscape
management, as well as those related to building the resilience of stakeholders
and facilitating access to financial solutions. 
The outcomes of the event will be
shared to the African Union’s Fertilizer and Soil Health (AFSH) Summit to be held
in October and beyond the summit, to inform the implementation of the 10-years
action plan.
Theme 1: Promoting Indigenous Crops for Increased Soil and Human Health and Climate
Change Resiliency – led by Alliance for African Partnership (AAP)
Theme 1: Promoting Indigenous Crops for Increased Soil and Human Health and Climate
Change Resiliency – led by Alliance for African Partnership (AAP)
- Prof. Lise Korsten, Co-Director of the Department of Science and Innovation, Centre of Excellence in Food Security, University of Pretoria.
- Prof. Richard Mkandawire, Director, Africa, Alliance for African Partnership
- Dr. Tony Milanzi, Assistant Director - Africa Office, Alliance for African Partnership
- Mr. Henk van Duijn, President & CEO, IFDC Intervener(s)
- Dr. Liesl Wiese-Rozanov, International Consultant, Agricultural Science and Policy/ Editorial Board Member, Soil Security Journal
- Dr. Anthony Kimaro, Country Director, Tanzania, CIFOR-ICRAF.
- Dr. Bernard Vanlauwe (see pictures), Deputy Director General, Research for
Development, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
Dr Vanlauwe challenged the audience with a CREDIBLE action plan that will help to scale agronomic solutions. - Ms. Latifa Mafumbi, Co-Founder, Guavay Lt
- Dr. Job Maguta Kihara, CIAT
Theme 4: Defining Africa’s Fertilizer and Soil Health Vision/Rehabilitating acid soils for food security – led by AGRA, CIMMYT
- Dr. Shamie Zingore, APNI
- Dr. Samuel Gameda, Soil Scientist, CIMMYT Sustainable Agrifood Systems (SAS) Program
- Ms. Teresia Numbi, Dodoma Cement
Theme 5: Innovative Fertilizer Financing Solutions
- Mr. Joseph Mwangangi, Deputy CEO, AFAP
- Ms. Marie-Claire Kalihangabo, Coordinator, AFFM, AfDB
04/09 16:00 – 17:30 : Herding Change: Sustainable Livestock Innovation by Women and Youth
Organizers: Heifer, ILRI, GDP, Land O'Lakes, SNV
In African food systems, animal source foods (i.e. milk, meat and eggs) can play a
critical role in addressing challenges to food security, nutrition, employment,
economic growth and climate adaptation, particularly for women and youth.
Panel 1 Case Study Presentations 
- Ms. Jemimah Wanjiku, Co-Founder, DigiCow (Kenya)
- Netsanet Solomon, Co-Owner, Kaleb, Ephrem and Netsanet Poultry Farming Enterprise (Ethiopia)
- Mrs. Margaret Munene, Managing Director, Palmhouse Dairies (Kenya)
- Ms. Elizabeth Swai, Founder, AKM Glitters integrated Poultry business (Tanzania)
Panel 2: Discussants
- Mr. Joachim Balakana, National Coordinator, Tanzania, Land O’Lakes Venture37
- Mrs. Shirley Tarawali, Assistant Director General, ILRI
- Ms. Adesuwa Ifedi, SVP Africa Heifer Intl.
- discussant, SNV
04/09 16:00 – 17:30 : Transforming African Food Systems: Sharable, Reliable and Timely Agricultural Data and Market Information are Essential for Agricultural Policies, Market Information, Food Security and Sustainable Food Systems
Organizers: USDA, AKADEMIYA2063, AGRA
For
a sustainable transformation, food system actors need reliable, timely, and easily
accessible data and information, including technologies such as Artificial
Intelligence (AI), to drive innovation and guide decision-making across the food
system.
- Dr. Otto Gonzalez, Senior Director, Agricultural Economic Development Division, Global Programs, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
- Ms. Lisa Colson, GIS and Imagery Specialist, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
- Mr. Andrew Mack, CEO and Founder of Agromovil, a data and marketaccess company for small farmers, and project implementer for USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
- Dr. Racine Ly, Director, Data Management, Digital Products and Technology, AKADEMIYA2063
- Mr. Babacar Ceesay, Senior Manager, Information Systems, Department of Data Management, Digital Products and Technology, AKADEMIYA2063
- Dr. Paul Thangata, Head of Data and Analytics, AGRA
- Ms. Providence Mavubi, Director for Agriculture and Industry, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Closing remarks
- Dr. Otto Gonzalez, Senior Director, Agricultural Economic Development Division, Global Programs, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
- Dr. Ousmane Badiane, Executive Chairperson, AKADEMIYA2063
04/09 16:00 – 17:30 Getting real: The Inclusion debate- Advancing Social Inclusion in Food Systems, Is it a reality or mirage?
Trust (MESPT), Tanager
This session through panel presentations and a debate presented how youth and
women can contribute to national food systems action plans as well as lessons
learned from implementing youth and social inclusive programs in Africa. This will
challenge African governments to develop and implement food systems plans that
are diverse and inclusive as a solution to sustainability.
- Mrs. Ndindi Nwuneli (see picture), Co-founder and Executive Chair, Sahel Consulting
She remarked that inclusivity requires intentionality, including sharing power, equity, and success. She added that we must work with integrity and excellence and Africa needs leaders who embody this. - Dr Apollos Nwafor, AGRA
- Ms. Maureen Munjua, Country Representative- Tanager o Ms. Wangari Kuria, CEO, Farmer on Fire
The Inclusion debate
- Ms. Winnie Osulah, Gender Expert, Tanager
- Ms. Wangari Kuria, CEO, Farmer on Fire
- Mrs. Rebeccah Amukhoye,CEO, MESPT
- Ruth Okowa - GAIN
- Tim Mwangi -Practical Action
04/09 16:00 – 17:30 : Mainstreaming Gender into the African Crop Innovation Pipeline
Gender shapes all aspects of agricultural technology development, yet too often, it is neglected or
marginalised when developing new crop innovations. This side event explored the full innovation pipeline from research and supply chain development to marketing and evaluation, and it shows how breeders can help overcome gendered differences in access to seeds, best practices and markets to improve their incomes, nutrition and well-being.
- Dr. Eveline Sawadogo/Compaoré, Environment and Agricultural Research Institute (INERA)
- Sara Mbago-Bhunu, IFAD
- Dr. Eileen Nchanji, Alliance of Bioversity International & CIAT
- Dr. Martina Occelli, Cornell University
- Moderator: Renée Giovarelli, Global Center for Gender Equality
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