Forum for Agricultural Systems Transformation : the seeds are sown
The 2024 African Food Systems Forum (AFS2024), held in Kigali, brought together more than 5,000 participants around the theme "Innovate, Accelerate and Scale: Ensuring Food Systems Transformation in the Digital and Climate Era." With agreements signed, strategic partnerships formed, and innovations highlighted, the event marked a major step forward in transforming food systems in Africa.
By Dounia Ben Mohamed, in Kigali
Agreements were signed between governments, international companies, development partners, and agricultural cooperatives. Startups found buyers for their innovative solutions, and awards were presented to recognize the most impactful initiatives. In short, AFS2024 fulfilled its commitments by bringing together various actors from the agricultural sector in Africa, encouraging them to exchange ideas, establish partnerships, and make deals, particularly within the « deal room, » a new feature of this edition.
Bruce Mutangana, a young co-founder of Farmoja, came to “pitch” his solution in the Rwandan Pavilion, a space dedicated to promoting Made in Rwanda agricultural businesses, seeking “partnerships and collaborations to increase our impact.” « There are many sessions here offering opportunities to learn what others are doing. Someone may be working on something here, and someone else may already be working on a similar project in another African country. I hope to have meaningful conversations and form valuable partnerships. »
Our goal is to help farmers increase their yield in terms of both quality and quantity
Farmoja is an agri-tech company founded two years ago that uses advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to help farmers collect real-time data on soil moisture and temperature. This allows for irrigation system control and promotes precision farming. “Our goal is to help farmers increase their yield in terms of both quality and quantity so they can access premium markets,” explained the young entrepreneur.
In short, the idea is to produce better in order to produce more. « Farmers face various challenges in Rwanda. Most of them still practice subsistence farming. Many do not have the skills to apply more advanced or modern farming methods, which limits their yield and production. Additionally, they face financial challenges. They lack the necessary investments for their farming activities, leading to low yields.” Challenges that Farmoja provides “concrete” solutions for. « We mainly address the problem of low yields for farmers. I remember visiting a large company that imports agricultural products. I asked them why they were importing when they had local farmers producing similar products. They replied that the main issue was that local farmers could not produce enough to meet the company’s needs. I understood that the problem farmers face is access to markets ready to pay them and the sustainability of the market for their production, due to low yields in both quality and quantity. Therefore, our technology helps farmers increase their yield so that the companies buying from them receive a sufficient quantity. Moreover, we ensure the quality of their production. For example, if irrigation is excessive or insufficient, it impacts the crops. We ensure they apply the right amount of inputs necessary for effective crop growth.”
The African Development Bank, which has placed agriculture at the heart of its priorities, is also relying on technologies to address the sector’s challenges, notably through the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) program. Launched in 2018, it aims to leverage high-impact technologies to boost agricultural production on the continent. “A very ambitious program,” assured Chrysanthemum Akem, the program coordinator. « It covers 34 African countries, 11 agricultural research centers (CGIAR), and more than 150 technologies.” He explained: « The CGIAR has been conducting research for many years. But this research results in publications that end up on shelves, and the results or conclusions don’t reach the end user, who should be the farmer. Therefore, the President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Adesina, decided to gather all the technologies developed across Africa and ensure they reach the end users through national governments, thereby transforming African agriculture. »
A program that the institution came to promote at AFS, supported by data. “We had a goal of reaching around 40 million people, most of whom are women and young people. So far, we’ve reached about 23 million. The goal is also to double yields, productivity. We have achieved this substantially in several crops, such as cassava, rice, and wheat. These are some of the priority crops we use to measure our progress.”
We have the technologies, but they are simply not being implemented on a large scale. What we need to do is engage governments to place them at the center of the problem
The coordinator clarified: “The key is the technologies. We have the technologies, but they are simply not being implemented on a large scale. What we need to do is engage governments to place them at the center of the problem. Many have promised to allocate 10% of their national budget to agriculture. This hasn’t always been done. We must continue to challenge them, » added Chrysanthemum.
The mission of AFS. « We want AFS to go beyond agriculture. It is broader than agriculture. It encompasses the food we eat, and many people are part of the value chain of this food system, » said Amath Pathé Sene, Director General of the Africa Food Systems Forum.
With only six years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and one year remaining for the Malabo Declaration deadline, transforming African food systems is a priority to ensure food security and create employment opportunities, particularly for youth and women. Hence the theme for this edition: « Innovate, Accelerate, and Scale: Ensuring Food Systems Transformation in the Digital and Climate Era. » Bringing together heads of state, experts, NGOs, investors, and farmers, the Forum has confirmed itself as an essential platform for finding solutions to the continent’s food challenges.
« Food is a fundamental human right, but, across our continent, it remains a daily struggle, » as Rwandan Prime Minister Édouard Ngirente reminded attendees during the opening ceremony. « In 2023, 298.4 million people were hungry on the continent, compared to 284 million the previous year, » Ngirente stated, calling for collective mobilization to reverse this trend. « By leveraging digital technologies and adopting climate-resilient practices, Africa can ensure its food security and create economic opportunities for its youth.”
This will involve mobilizing the private sector, as emphasized by Dr. Agnes Kalibata, president of AGRA. “By harnessing the power of the private sector, we can drive meaningful food system transformation and achieve sustainable growth. »
The path to transforming food systems in Africa lies in our ability to innovate, accelerate, and scale
Transformation will also not happen without the involvement of youth, who represent up to 70% of the workforce in some countries on the continent. « Young people have a different view of life; they want things to move fast, whereas agriculture has always been seen as a traditional activity of misery. This is the paradigm shift we need to make and change the narrative,” said Pathé Sene. « We must transform a village into a place where people are happy to stay, but also into a place of economic activity.”
“The path to transforming food systems in Africa lies in our ability to innovate, accelerate, and scale,” concluded Rwandan Prime Minister Ngirente, urging his peers to take swift and coordinated action to address the continent’s food security challenges. Some actions were taken during AFS 2024.
