The 19th edition of Africa’s Food Systems Forum (AFSF), dedicated to innovation and the implementation of agri-food system transformation, kicked off on Monday in Dakar
Under the theme “Africa’s Youth: Leading Collaboration, Innovation, and the Implementation of Agri-Food Systems Transformation,” the inaugural session of the Forum, held until September 5, was attended by Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, several heads of state and government, and representatives of participating countries.
In his opening address, the Senegalese president called for “massive” financial mobilization to transform African agriculture, advocating for a genuine “investment revolution” to make the continent “the world’s breadbasket,” in line with the Maputo commitment to allocate 10% of national budgets to the agricultural sector.
He also warned that without urgent action, more than a billion people could suffer from chronic undernourishment by 2030, half of them in Africa, urging his peers to make agriculture appeal to young people and investors through training, rural entrepreneurship, and opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“Agriculture must become a driver of sovereignty and growth,” the Senegalese president said.
Head of the Moroccan delegation to the Forum, Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, Water, and Forests Ahmed El Bouari, held on the sidelines of the event, talks with CEO of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) Ted McKinney. Discussions focused on Morocco-US relations in the agricultural sector, particularly the state of trade, prospects for its development, and prospects related to triangular trade with Africa and growing American investment in Morocco.
Nearly 6,000 participants from Africa and beyond are taking part in this continental event, which focuses on entrepreneurship, investment, national policies, and experience sharing, within the framework of the new Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) 2026–2035.
The Forum also features the presentation of the African Food Prize, which rewards initiatives that have helped transform African agriculture into a driver of prosperity and growth.
Africa’s Food Systems Forum, formerly AGRF, is the world’s premier forum for African agriculture and food systems, bringing together stakeholders to take practical actions and share lessons that will move African food systems forward. Africa Food Systems Forum is designed to energize political will and advance the policies, programs, and investments required to achieve an inclusive and sustainable food systems transformation.