Background

Despite the potential of the agriculture sector in Africa to meet global food demands, performance across key areas has remained low. Smallholder farmers and food systems continue to be inhibited by fragmentation, poor efficiency of value chains, and limited resilience against climate shocks.  Agribusinesses and agriculture technology companies across Africa are at the forefront of transforming the sector, offering new innovations that increase yields and productivity sustainably, de-risk and improve value chain linkages, increase farmer incomes, create jobs, and strengthen land, food, and water systems. To support the growth of private sector solutions that strengthen food systems, significant investments and support are needed.   

Through the activities under Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) project and Ukama Ustawi: Initiative on Diversification in East and Southern Africa (UU), CGIAR has been actively promoting approaches that support the integration of agribusinesses with science and innovation to drive food systems transformation, fostering impact on mitigation, adaptation, productivity, and resilience.

About the event

Speakers will demonstrate approaches to support agribusinesses in addressing climate change through different gender-responsive approaches and share some case studies and learnings from our portfolio.  

The session will address the following:  

• The pivotal role of science and research in business acceleration programs to scale up climate-smart agriculture practices.
• The use of climate-smart agriculture technical assistance to enhance investment readiness and bankability.
• The need for business skills development, training, and market linkages to facilitate access to finance for women, youth-owned enterprises, and other stakeholders.
• The provision of incentives to investees upon achieving gender targets, including increased participation of women and youth in the value chain, climate-smart agriculture (CSA) trainings, and the upskilling of women and youth extensionists.

Speakers

• Inga-Jacobs Mata (AICCRA & UU CGIAR Food Systems Accelerator)
• Mercy Zulu-Hume (UU CGIAR Food Systems Accelerator)
• Peter Kirimi (2SCALE)
• Stephanie Jaquet (AICCRA Senegal)
• Aminata Diallo (GIE Diallo Tiama, AICCRA Senegal SME)
• Norman Mugisha (Afri-Farmers Market, UU CGIAR Food Systems Accelerator SME)
• Angelous Kamande (Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund)
• Ouma Sani (WIC Senegal)
• Godefroy Grosjean (CGIAR Hub for Sustainable Finance)
• Vivian Sakoe (National Bank of Commerce Tanzania)

*Livestream link will be shared if available*

AGRF: Africa’s Food Systems Forum 2023 Summit

The Africa's Food Systems Forum 2023 Summit will take place in Dar Es Salaam Tanzania from September 4 to 8, 2023. This year’s theme, “Recover, Regenerate, Act: Africa’s Solutions to Food Systems Transformation” focuses on building back better food systems and food sovereignty with youth and women at the center.

In alignment with the theme and objectives of the Summit, our knowledge-sharing session aims to contribute to building better food systems and ensuring inclusive and sustainable value chains with youth and women at the center. The AGRF theme identifies three steps needed to achieve this transformation: Recovery, Regenerate, and Act.