The session focused on how investment in diverse, underutilized and climate-resilient crops can strengthen Africa’s food systems. It moves beyond dependence on major staples such as maize, wheat and rice and examines opportunities around indigenous, nutritious and high-value crops.
Key areas of discussion included:
- Financing and investment opportunities for diverse crops.
- Developing markets and strengthening value chains.
- Research, innovation and improved seed systems.
- Value addition and commercialization.
- Policies and partnerships needed to scale diversified agriculture.
- How crop diversification can improve food and nutrition security, farmer incomes, biodiversity and climate resilience.
Bright Lights
- Josephine Okot — CEO, Victoria Seeds
- Rokiatou Traore — Founder & Executive Manager, Herou Alliance
- Zainab Lawal Gwadabe — CEO, Seed Pro Africa.
Panel 1 — Innovating for Resilient and
Diverse Food Systems
- Dr. Jerry Asalma Nboyine — Senior Research Scientist & Entomologist, CSIR-SARI, Ghana
- Dr. Mercy Diebiru-Ojo — Assistant Specialist, Cassava Seed Systems; Africa Food Prize Winner 2024
- Dr. Rufaro Madakadze — Lead, Capacity Building & Technical Support, CESSA/AGRA
- Dr. Gabriel Rugalema — Regional Director, WorldVeg. See his testimony about innovation in amaranth https://youtu.be/dqcXkJAfs-s?si=iG2-wHZ8YZOOkCsC
Panel 2 — Unlocking Markets and Investment for Diverse Crops
- Innocent Namuhoranye — Chairman & CEO, National Seed Association of Rwanda
- Jean Claude Rubyogo — PABRA Director & Seed Systems Specialist, PABRA/CIAT
- Ayodeji Balogun — CEO, AFEX
- Andile Mnguni — Executive Director, ProVeg South Africa
This was an investment-focused session about turning Africa’s crop diversity into commercial opportunities, resilient food systems and better livelihoods, with investors, researchers, seed-sector leaders and agribusiness executives discussed how to move from promising crops to scalable markets.
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