Innovative financing, tech to dominate AFS Forum 2024 in Rwanda
Stakeholders in agriculture are set to converge at the Africa Food Systems Forum 2024 (AFS Forum 2024) in Kigali, Rwanda, from September 2 to 6.
The forum will focus on addressing the challenges and opportunities within Africa’s food systems, with a particular focus on the role of innovative financing and technology in boosting productivity for smallholder farmers.
Heifer International, a nonprofit organisation working to end hunger and poverty, will participate in discussions on how catalytic financing can drive technology integration in agriculture.
The forum, organised by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), is considered the continent’s largest gathering of agriculture stakeholders and will feature input from government officials, development agencies, private sector leaders, and agripreneurs.
Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, along with other global leaders, will attend the event to demonstrate their commitment to addressing food system challenges across Africa.
The theme of this year’s forum is “Innovate, Accelerate, and Scale: Delivering Food Systems Transformation in a Digital and Climate Era.”
Heifer International plans to showcase its Mechanisation for Africa project, which demonstrates the impact of catalytic funding on agricultural transformation.
According to Heifer, its support for a tech-driven tractor leasing initiative by Hello Tractor, an agritech company, has helped expand the initiative and significantly increase incomes for participating smallholder farmers. The project reportedly created over 250 jobs for young Africans, including roles such as tractor operators and booking agents.
The forum will also note the contributions of young innovators from six African countries who have been working on solutions to support smallholder farmers.
Adesuwa Ifedi, Senior Vice President, Africa Programs, of Heifer International, said: “We are inspired by the incredible contributions that young visionary African innovators can make towards transforming our food systems and we are actively backing their innovations. Through our various programs, especially AYuTe NextGen, we provide the catalytic financing and market knowledge that these innovators need to iterate and scale their agritech solutions for challenges faced by smallholder farmers.
“With the integration of finance and technology, we are able to move smallholder farmers from sustenance to a business, and support them to take their businesses to scale and profitability, while creating much needed new jobs across the value chain for young people.
“Working alongside smallholder farmers through this journey has informed our reflections on what is critical to transform Africa’s food systems. At this year’s AFS forum, we will be engaging with critical partners, stakeholders and policy makers, to continue to deepen this conversation, leveraging on our experience, to fast track the food systems transformation we all seek.”
Delegates are expected to discuss technological advances, business models, and investments required to accelerate sustainable food system transformations. The gathering provides an opportunity for public and private sector leaders to explore pathways to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and meet the Malabo Declaration commitments by 2025.
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.
0 Comments
We will review and take appropriate action.