AFRICA FOOD SYSTEMS FORUM — KIGALI
AFS Forum 2026 — Innovation Hub: Investing in Diverse Crops Recorded
1 September. The AFS Forum session examined how investment in diverse, underutilized and climate-resilient crops can strengthen African food systems, with attention to financing, markets, value addition, seed systems and partnerships.
AfricaVeg: Turning Africa’s Vegetable Diversity into a New Engine for Food, Nutrition and Investment Recorded
31 August–1 September. The AfricaVeg initiative, led by the World Vegetable Center, explored how African seed companies, breeders, universities and regional partners can accelerate locally adapted vegetable varieties and strengthen the vegetable innovation ecosystem.
Clean Energy to Nourish a Continent: Unlocking renewable power for Africa’s food systems No video recording
31 August–2 September. AFS sessions examined the links between renewable energy, vegetable production, irrigation, cooling, storage, processing and food-system resilience, including the launch of the Africa Vegetable Innovation Platform.
Scaling Opportunity Crops Through Policy, Partnerships, and Investment No video recording
2 September. CropTrust/GFAiR discussions focused on moving neglected and underutilized crops from isolated success stories towards scalable models through policy, partnerships, investment and stronger value chains.
Strategy 2040 and Africa Strategy No video recording
2 September. CGIAR and FARA consulted African agricultural research partners during AFS Forum on the emerging CGIAR Africa Strategy and the longer-term CGIAR Strategy 2040.
Investing in Seed Systems for Resilience, Nutrition and Jobs Recorded
3 September. The AFS Forum side event examined how nationally coordinated, market-responsive seed systems can support climate resilience, productivity, nutrition, farmer incomes and rural employment.
The Netherlands Food Partnership at AFSF 2026: Connecting Dutch Expertise with Africa’s Food Systems Transformation No video recording
31 August–4 September. The Netherlands Food Partnership presented Dutch expertise and partnerships across agriculture, nutrition, energy, research, entrepreneurship and finance, including the 30 teams selected for the university-based innovation challenge.
Rockefeller Foundation at AFS Forum 2026: Investing in healthier and more resilient food systems Recorded
31 August–4 September. The Rockefeller Foundation highlighted investment in nutrition, clean energy, public procurement and food markets. The programme also included a screening of the FOOD 2050 documentary.
The new Africa strategy of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT Recorded
1 September. The Alliance launched its 2026–2030 Africa strategy in Kigali and formalized a partnership with SNV linking research, delivery and finance.
NEGLECTED, UNDERUTILIZED AND INDIGENOUS FOODS
Fermentation: from evidence to scale No video recording
1 September. AFS discussions highlighted traditional food fermentation as a potential tool for improving nutrition, food preservation, food safety, livelihoods and environmental sustainability, with particular attention to women producers.
Nourishing You Naturally: How a Small Ghanaian Enterprise Is Turning Local Crops into Nutritious Foods video interview
1 September. The story of Nutribrown Enterprise in Ghana illustrates how local grains, seeds, fruits and legumes can be transformed into nutritious products through processing, entrepreneurship and value addition.
Hodari Foundation: Building a Future Through Innovation, Independence and Inclusion Recorded
1 September. The refugee-led HODARI Foundation in Uganda combines enterprise development, agriculture, permaculture, indigenous foods and community protection to strengthen livelihoods and resilience.
The Society of Underutilised Legumes at IITA Video interview
2–3 September. An interview with Dr. Taofeek Tope Adegboyega explored the work of the Society for Underutilized Legumes and the potential of Bambara groundnut, African yam bean and winged bean for nutrition, climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods.
Strengthening EU–Mediterranean cooperation on sustainable food systems Video interview
9 September. A CIHEAM Bari Mediterranean Breakfast Dialogue in Brussels examined future EU–Mediterranean cooperation on sustainable agriculture and food systems. The post also includes an interview on SUSTLIVES and the follow-on AgrEcoNUS+ initiative.
WINNERS OF THE CAFF 2026 YOUTH CHALLENGE – SECOND COHORT Recorded
1–9 September. The Collective Action on Forgotten Foods Youth Challenge highlighted young innovators working on indigenous and neglected foods in Africa and the Caribbean, including initiatives around forgotten grains, seaweed and indigenous food knowledge.
Products and Seeds at the World Social Forum Recorded
18 September. At the World Social Forum in Cotonou, an agroecology exhibition showcased local food products, farmers' seeds, crop diversity and farmers' knowledge, with emphasis on seed and food sovereignty.
ROOTS AND RECIPES: The Science of Food, Identity and Belonging No video recording indicated
25–26 September. At the AfricaMuseum in Tervuren, the ROOTS AND RECIPES initiative connected research with African diaspora food heritage through exhibitions, demonstrations, workshops, film and public engagement.
SEED SYSTEMS, VEGETABLES AND CROP DIVERSITY
East-West Seed and the importance of community seed banks Recorded
2–3 September. An interview with East-West Seed explored quality vegetable seed, farmer knowledge and the complementary role of community seed banks in conserving local crop diversity.
Seed Systems Group: strengthening seed systems, supporting farmers, and contributing to resilient agriculture No video recording indicated
3 September. An interview with Isoulfou Kapran of Seed Systems Group examined the importance of quality seed, agricultural markets and stronger seed systems for resilient farming.
Africa Vegetable Breeding Consortium Annual Workshop Recorded
8–10 September. The Africa Vegetable Breeding Consortium workshop in Cotonou brought breeders, seed companies and producers together around tomato, okra and amaranth and the development of Africa's vegetable seed sector.
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH, INNOVATION AND EQUITABLE PARTNERSHIPS
GFAiR Unveils Guides to Measure Equitable Partnerships No video recording indicated
4 September. GFAiR launched four practical guides covering partnership principles, project application, assessment tools and partner-inclusive language for measuring and strengthening equitable partnerships in research for development.
Financing Generative AI for Agricultural Advisory No video recording indicated
4 September. The discussion examined how generative AI could provide agricultural advisory services while addressing the financing, data, digital infrastructure, accuracy, trust and accountability requirements needed to move beyond pilots.
EC's New Strategic Approach to Research and Innovation No video recording indicated
8 September. The European Commission's new strategic approach brings together AgRI 2040 and Food 2040 to strengthen research, innovation, deployment and uptake across agriculture, forestry, rural areas and food systems.
Future food symposium UK No video recording indicated
14–15 September. The UK Future of Food Symposium examined food systems at a crossroads, covering sustainability, Indigenous food sovereignty, community food resilience, nutrition, health inequalities, food waste, seeds and the role of data and AI.
Strengthening the international dimension of R&D No video recording indicated
23 September. The SCAR Foresight workshop in Brussels considered how European agricultural research and innovation can prepare for a world of disruption and strengthen international research collaboration.
Future-proofing EU Agri-Food through research and innovation No video recording indicated
24–25 September. The EU AgRI 2040 conference in Brussels discussed future priorities for research and innovation, including deployment, knowledge uptake, competitiveness, resilience and strategic partnerships within and beyond Europe.
FOOD-SYSTEM FORESIGHT, POLICY AND TRANSFORMATION
AGRA Impact, Learning and Foresight Report 2026 No video recording indicated
31 August. The report presented a 20-year stocktake of AGRA's work and African agricultural transformation, focusing on productivity, farmer prosperity, value capture, institutional capacity and resilience.
Global Agrifood Systems Outlook to 2050 Recorded
10 September. IFPRI and the CGIAR Science Program on Policy Innovations launched the Global Agrifood Systems Outlook to 2050, examining alternative futures for production, diets, trade, resources, climate, food security and livelihoods.
WAFI 2026: Green and Healthy Transformation of Agrifood Systems Recorded
17–19 September. The World AgriFood Innovation Conference in Beijing focused on green and healthy transformation, connecting innovation with ecological sustainability, nutrition, resilience, inclusion and international cooperation.
CGIAR Scaling Week 2026 No video recording
22–24 September. More than 400 participants from over 40 countries gathered in Nairobi to examine how innovations in food, land and water systems can move beyond successful pilots and achieve lasting impact at scale.
8th African Conference of Agricultural Economists (ACAE) No video recording
22–25 September. The conference in Nairobi addressed smart agriculture, digital transformation, trade, climate change, food security, nutrition, gender, youth, value chains and the measurement of agricultural research impacts.
AFRICA–EUROPEAN RESEARCH AND FOOD-SYSTEM PARTNERSHIPS
Belgian Government and CGIAR roundtable Video presentation
25 September. The Belgian Government and CGIAR convened a Brussels roundtable on “From global shocks to local food security,” discussing the role of food-systems research and international partnerships within the future Global Europe programme.
