The AGRF 2022 Summit kicks off in Kigali with strong call for bold action for Africa’s food systems

KIGALI– The 2022 African Green Revolution Forum Summit or AGRF Summit, is underway in Kigali Rwanda, with a call for bold actions to accelerate efforts to end hunger across the continent, especially in times of crises.

Speaking during the official opening yesterday, the Prime Minister of Rwanda, Dr. Edouard Ngirente noted that the summit is an opportunity for the continent to build action and accelerate comprehensive transformation of food systems across Africa.

Ngirente added: “This summit has gathered the continent to shine the spotlight on how we can advance food systems transformation to ensure that it is inclusive, sustainable and resilient for the food security of all. It is time to build action for production and supply of food for households to meet their food needs.”

The summit brings together over 2500 delegates including African presidents, agriculture ministers, private sector, development partners, civil society, and experts to Kigali, Rwanda.

Hosted by the Government of Rwanda and the AGRF Partner’s Group, the Summit runs until Friday, 9th September under the theme ‘Grow. Nourish. Reward. Bold Actions for Resilient Food Systems’. Discussions will center around how Africa can successfully navigate the crises currently affecting the global food supply chain and ensure that African Governments can mobilize investment and accelerate commitments to deliver a food-secure continent.

The summit intends to address bottlenecks hindering the development of strong food systems while highlighting approaches and initiatives that have worked across different markets.

Rwanda’s president Paul Kagame will lead a presidential summit comprising of sitting and former African Heads of State to review the gains made in Africa’s agricultural landscape.

AGRA’s Board Chair, and Chair of the AGRF Partners Group and former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Hailemariam Dessalegn noted that the summit comes as the continent grapples with challenges in global food supply and effects of the pandemic that have undone gains in efforts to end hunger and build food security.

“Food systems transformation is key to economic transformation. We need to take bold actions urgently, this calls for new, stronger, innovative and strategic leadership to ensure that food systems are more resilient,” Dessalegn added.

This year’s Summit will also include discussions around building strong foundations required to avert crises such as those currently witnessed with the rising cost of living for African people. These discussions will lay out visions of success as well as what is at stake for the people at this time of crisis, while emphasising the type of leadership and action needed to move forward with more resilient food systems.

AGRF partners and key stakeholders will also highlight initiatives and commitments to transform food systems and accelerate Africa’s delivery of the 2030 targets.

Some of the key highlights in this year’s AGRF 2022 Summit will include the Agribusiness Deal Room, a platform for connecting innovators with critically needed capital, the Presidential Summit, Farmers Forum, and a Youth Townhall.

The AGRF is the world’s premier forum for African agriculture, bringing together stakeholders in the agricultural landscape to take practical actions and share lessons that will move African agriculture forward. Under AGRF’s current strategy, the Forum is particularly focused on driving progress of the Malabo Declaration by 2025 as the priority set of commitments African Heads of State and Government have made to strengthen agricultural development at the center of the continent’s overall development and progress. The AGRF is organised by the AGRF Partners Group, a coalition of institutions that care about Africa’s agriculture transformation.

The AGRF Partners Group is made up of 26 leading actors in African agriculture all focused on putting farmers at the centre of the continent’s growing economies. Members include: African Development Bank [AfDB], African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership [AFAP], African Union Commission [AUC], Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa [AGRA], Bayer AG, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation [CTA], CGIAR System Organization, Corteva Agriscience, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations [FAO].

Others are; Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office [FCDO], Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition [GAIN], Government of Rwanda, Grow Africa [AUDA-NEPAD], Heifer International, IKEA Foundation, International Development Research Center ([DRC], International Fund for Agricultural Development [IFAD], Mastercard Foundation, OCP Group, Rockefeller Foundation, Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions [SACAU], Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH), Syngenta Foundation, The Tony Blair Institute, UPL Limited, US Agency for International Development [USAID], Yara International ASA.

https://thecooperator.news/rwanda-to-host-2022-world-circular-economy-forum-in-december

Buy your copy of thecooperator magazine from one of our country- wide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news