2 - 6 September 2024. Kigali Rwanda.

Africa Food Systems Forum 2024

The Africa Food Systems Forum is the world largest annual summit on agriculture and food systems on the continent.

Extracts of the main programme

03/09 DAY 1: CCOUNTABILITY, STATUS, AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS

The Africa Agriculture Status Report (AASR)

See YouTube video recording @

Presentation of the Report: AGRA (2024). Accelerating the Private Sector for Food Systems transformation in Africa (Issue 12). Nairobi, Kenya: AGRA. # 88 pp.
Dr. Thomas Reardon, Professor, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Michigan State University Moderator:
Dr . Roy Steiner, Senior Vice President, Food Initiative, The Rockefeller Foundation, AGRA Board Member
Ms. Chema Triki – AASR Author
Dr. Simeon Ehui, Director-General, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Panel Discussion:
Hon. Rose Kayi Mivedor, Minister of Commerce, Crafts, and Local Consumption, Togo
Mr. Michael Shaw, Director, WellSping Development
Ms. Anna Riley, Managing Partner, Sofala Partners
Mr. Daniel Hailu, Executive Director, Mastercard Foundation
Mr. Jemery Awori, Group CEO, Ecobank Group
Ms. Michelle Gortan, CEO, Macdoch Foundation. Launch of the AASR report and official opening photo
Dr. Agnes Kalibata, President, AGRA
Rt. Hon. Dr. Edouard Ngirente, Prime Minister of Rwanda
H.E. Josefa Sacko, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE), AUC

Resource:

AGRA (2024). Accelerating the Private Sector for Food Systems transformation in Africa (Issue 12). Nairobi, Kenya: AGRA. # 88 pp.

Digitalization Roadmap on Food Systems

Digital technologies hold immense potential to transform agri-food systems across sub-Saharan Africa by significantly enhancing productivity and resilience, market access, supply chains, and financial inclusivity for small-scale producers. Although some progress has been made, many challenges persist, including fragmented initiatives and investments across the public, private, and social sectors, uncertain business models, inadequate digital and physical infrastructure, and lack of gender and social inclusion, which all hinder the widespread adoption and impact of digital agriculture solutions. We have a unique opportunity for digital transformation in agriculture due to growing mobile and internet penetration, innovative digital solutions, and growing leadership and policy support.

There is a need for coordinated roadmaps that align with national policies, identify and address ecosystem gaps, and prioritize and coordinate sustainable investments to fully realize digital agriculture’s potential. This session aims to gather key stakeholders to discuss the development and implementation of Digital Agriculture Roadmaps for African countries while drawing on insights from previous initiatives in Ethiopia, other SSA countries, and India and exploring pathways to enhance digital transformation in the agri-food sector across the continent.

Panel Discussion 1: Coordinating Digital Agricultural Initiatives and Investments

Dr. Parmesh Shah, Global Lead for Rural Livelihoods & Agricultural Jobs, Agriculture, World Bank
Mr. Stewart Collis, Senior Program Officer, Digital Solutions, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Ms. Brenda Mulele Gunde, Global Lead for ICT4D, IFAD
Mr. Josh Woodward, Senior Digital Advisor, USAID
Mr. Innocent Musabyimana, Chief Agriculture Technology Officer, AFDB
Mr. Dayo Aduroja, Director, Youth and Innovation Africa, Heifer International
Mr. Omundi Kasidhi, Digital Manager Africa, Yara
Moderator: Mr. Kristofer Hamel, Agricultural Innovations Lead, President, Court of the United Arab Emirates

Panel Discussion 2: Building and Implementing Digital Agricultural Solutions & Public Infrastructure

Keynote speaker: Hon. Paul Ingabire, Minister of ICT and Innovation, Rwanda
Ms. Niriksha Shetty, CEO, Precision Development (PxD)
Mr. Rikin Gandhi, CEO, Digital Green
Dr. Rajeev Chawla, Strategic Advisor and Chief Knowledge Officer, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India
Ms. Kameshwari Chandra, Chief Strategy Officer, Center for Digital Public Infrastructure, India
Mr. Samuel Praveen Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India
Mr. Stewart Collis, Senior Program Officer, Digital Solutions, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Ms. Chen Hattav, Growing IL Ecosystem Development Manager, Israel Innovation Institute

04/09 DAY 2: NUTRITION, HEALTH, TRADE, AND MARKETS

Farmers’ Forum

This year’s Farmers’ Forum will bring farmers from Asia, Latin America, and Africa together to exchange experiences and share best practices regarding participation in food systems policies, access to financing and markets, and capacity to deliver healthy foods produced sustainably amid climate change and conflicts. This interactive discussion will give participants a broader picture of the progress made in the field about food systems transformation and how gaps and challenges can be addressed. AS INVITED Moderator • Dr. King-David Amoah, President of Farmers Organization Network, Ghana and of the Ghana Federation of Agricultural Producers (GFAP) Keynote Remarks: Farmers’ Forum for Food Systems Transformation • Ms. Elizabeth Nsimadala, President, Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF) • Ms. Esther Penuri, Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development

Panel Discussion 1: Climate Finance

Mr. Kolyang Palabele, President, Pan-African Farmers’ Organization (PAFO), The Gambia
Mr. Ishmael Sunga, Chief Executive Officer, Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU)
Ms. Ruramiso Mashumba, Regional Lead - Africa, Global Farmer Network (GFN), Zimbabwe • Ms. Juliana Kantegwa, Founder, Wood Valley Organics, Rwanda
Ms. Wangeci , Farmers Organization, Kenya
Mr. Foster Boateng, Deputy CEO – Operations, Tree Crop Development Authority (TCDA)
Dr. Lekan Tobe, Country Director Nigeria, Heifer Internationa
Hon. Allahoury Diallo - Minister Special Advisor to the President Niger Moderator:
Ms. Manes Ngoma, President, Farmers Union of Malawi

Panel Discussion 2: Best Practices from Africa

Mr. Stephen Muchiri, CEO, Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF)
Mr. Ibrahima Coulibaly, President, Network of Farmers’ Organizations and Agricultural Producers of West Africa (ROPPA) & President, PanAfrican Farmers Organization (PAFO)
Mr. Bagore Bathily, Managing Director, La Laiterie Du Berger, Senegal
Mr. Philip Kiriro, Chairman and Board Member, EAFF Co. Ltd, Kenya
Dr. Sinare Yusufu Sinare, Chairman, SACAU, Tanzania
Dr. Olivier Kamana, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Rwanda
Dr. Athman Mravili, FAO Coordinator for Central Africa and Representative in Gabon, Sao Tome & Principe, and Cameroon • Prof. Godfrey NZAMUJO, Founder of SONGHAÏ Institute - Bénin

05/09 DAY 3: CLIMATE CHANGE AND FOOD SYSTEMS

PRIVATE SECTOR PLENARY: Food Systems

The Bigger Picture As the engine of economic growth, a robust and vibrant private sector is vital to transform food systems on the continent. In Africa, the private sector has an immense potential to contribute directly to the achievement of Agenda 2030 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want through basic pursuits, such as increasing productivity, creating jobs, and accelerating service delivery. This session will showcase success stories and scalable best practices, effective approaches to mobilizing resources by banks and non-bank financial institutions, including financial technology (fintech), and the potential role of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in private sector development. This session will give voice to private sector experts who wish to share specific flagship initiatives in the area of production, processing, and marketing with demonstrated scalability and impact, as well as insights into the processes and partnerships involved in their initiatives’ success.

Mr. Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) and Director General of the African Risk Capacity (ARC) Group. Keynote Speakers
H.E. Dr. Donald Kaberuka, Chairman and Managing Partner of SouthBridge & Senior Advisor at the IGC, Rwanda
H.E. Khalifa Al Kuwari, DG, Qatar Fund for Development Fireside Chat:
Dr. Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
Ms. Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations Global Compact Kenya
Ms. Carla Montesi, EU Director for Green Deal and Digital Agenda, Directorate-General for International Partnerships, Belgium
Ms. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Deputy Executive Director, UNEP

Panel Discussion: De-risking Systems

Ms. Diane Karusisi, CEO, Bank of Kigali
Dr. James Mwangi, CEO, Equity Group Holdings Limited
Ms. Maria Håkansson, CEO, Swedfund
Mr. Jules Ngankam, Group CEO, African Guarantee Fund
Ms. Delphine Traore, CEO, Allianz Africa & Chair, Board of Management of Allianz Africa & AGRA Board Member
Ms. Vera Songwe, Founder and Chair of Liquidity and Sustainability Facility & Co-chair of the High-Level Panel on Climate Finance
Mr. Fred Swaniker, Entrepreneur Founder, African Leadership Group
Mr. Samuel Ssenyimba, Senior Program Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)
Dr. Leonard Mizzi, Head of Unit at the European Commission, Directorate-General (DG) for International Partnerships - Sustainable Agri-Food systems and Fisheries

Agri-innovation & Digitalization: Investments to Scale up Food Systems Transformation

The session’s goal is to identify key actions to unlock investments and strengthen public-private sector collaborations in delivering digital technological innovations that will drive food system transformation at scale. The session will also highlight successful investment models, technical assistance and business development opportunities, and concrete cases in agriculture that provide replicable examples. A special focus will be on new initiatives for de-risking private sector investments to drive agricultural digitalization. The session will also serve as a call to action and facilitate direct interactions and relationship building between investors, agribusinesses, financial institutions, policymakers, and other stakeholders to promote a collaborative approach to the development of investment vehicles that support the large-scale transformation of food systems.

Moderator: Dr. Enock Chikava, Director, Agricultural Delivery Systems, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Inspirations from Asia:
Mr. Veera Sekaran, Founder and Director, VertiVegies, Singapore Keynote
Mr. Samuel N’gan’ga, Manager Upstream and Advisory for Manufacturing, Agribusiness, and Services in East and Southern Africa, IFC Panelists:
Ms. Liz Wilson - Deputy CEO, Small Foundation
Mr. Jehiel Oliver, Founder and CEO, Hello Tractor
Mr. Sriram Bharatam, CEO and Founder, Kuza, Kenya
Mr. Albert Munyabugingo, Co-founder and CEO, Vuba Vuba Africa Ltd., Rwanda
Mr. Ivan Shema, Founder, of 1000 Hills Products
Mr. Ken Akinwande, Head Digital , OCP
Mr. Kristofer

Digital Solutions for Production, Processing, E-marketing, and Food Waste Keynote

Dr. Strive Masiyiwa, Founder & Executive Chairman, Econet Group, Cassava Technologies & Econet Wireless and Co-Founder, Higherlife Foundation Panel:
Ms. Anu Adedoyin Adasolum, Co-Founder & CEO, Sabi
Mr. Ismael Belkhayat, CEO and Founder, Chari, Morocco
Ms. Adesuwa Ifedi, Senior Vice President of Africa Programs, Heifer International
Mr. Ralph Mupita, Group President and CEO, MTN, South Africa
Ms. Coura Sene, Regional Director, Wave Digital Finance
Ms. Daniel Whitley, Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service, US Department of Agriculture
Dr. Catherine Nakalembe, Africa Director, NASA Harvest & Africa Food Prize Laureate Closing remarks:
Mr. Paul Garaycochea, Director, Sustainable Transformation of Supply Chains, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany

DAY 4: FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2024 THEME: DATA, DIGITAL AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Panel Session: Innovative Business Models to Successfully Drive Mechanization in Africa

Moderator: Ms. Melissa Pinfield, Executive Director, Just Rural Transition Secretariat, Meridian Institute Keynote Remarks:
Mr. Donal Brown, Associate Vice President, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Fireside chat:
Dr. Prof. Yanshui Zhao, Deputy Chairman, Chinese Association of Agriculture Machinery Manufacturers
Hon. Dr. Ildephonse Musafiri, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Rwanda
Mr. Jehiel Oliver, Founder and CEO, Hello Tractor
Mr. Jaco Beyers, Managing Director Africa, John Deere
Mr. Paul Christopher Richards, CEO, AgLeaseCo, Zambia
Mrs. Patricia Amankwa Yeboah, Head of Agric Mechanization, CSIR Ghana
Mrs. Ruramiso Mashumba, Africa Lead, Global Farmer Network
Mr. Ibrahim Maigari, Technology Entrepreneur, Nigeria • Mr. Chris Brett, Lead Agribusiness Specialist, World Bank

Friday, September 6, 2024

Africa Food Systems Forum 2024: main program