Reflections on the Africa Food Systems Forum 2024
By Rowlands Kaotcha, Chief Program Officer & Afia Darteh, Communciations Officer
The Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) Summit 2024 hosted in Kigali Rwanda from the 2nd to 6th September 2024 brought together a diverse group of stakeholders committed to transforming food systems in Africa. The Hunger Project (THP) was represented by Rowlands Kaotcha, Chief Program Officer and Afia Darteh, Communications Officer for the Africa Region, who participated as delegates with a focus on strengthening local food systems, specifically community-led development, sustainable agriculture, and women and youth empowerment. Our presence was not just about attending; it was about influencing, advocating and ensuring that our proven strategies are at the forefront of global discussions. Additionally, we aimed to learn and explore how we can “show up” in future conferences not only as delegates but as thought leaders — leveraging partnerships and collaborations to enhance our visibility and leadership within the space.
Rowlands’ Reflection
The most profound moment of the forum was during the pre-summit discussions when Monika, Froehler CEO of the Ban Ki-Moon Center for Global Citizens, asked the audience, “How many of us believe we will end hunger?” The limited number of hands raised was a sobering reminder of the scale of the challenge we face. My own hands were raised high, a reflection of our commitment at THP to not only end hunger but also transform systems of inequity that keep it in place.
This year’s theme, “Innovate, Accelerate, and Scale: Delivering Food Systems Transformation in a Digital and Climate Era,” resonates deeply with our mission. It’s a timely opportunity for us to contribute to the collective efforts toward addressing food security challenges in Africa and beyond. A particularly striking moment came when one AFSF delegate remarked that “focusing on smallholder farmers doesn’t make logical sense.” You can imagine our agitation. Thankfully, we later had the opportunity to reaffirm the moderator’s response: the data is clear — 80% of Africa’s food is produced by smallholder farmers, most of whom are women. This underscores the relevance of our work and approach. However, there is still much to do in shaping the conversation and creating a new context for a world without hunger.
When we talk about Africa’s food systems, we envision vibrant, sustainable, profitable and resilient local food systems that are locally owned and led, with full respect for the leadership roles of women farmers and young people. Emerging innovative climate financing facilities are another area we need to explore further as an organization.
Afia’s Reflection
One of the major highlights for me was the vibrancy of the Youth Dome, where we engaged with young people passionate about reshaping Africa’s future through food systems transformation.
How do we make agriculture attractive for young people? How do we equip them with the digital skills they need to thrive in the agricultural value chain? These were some of the burning questions we explored in the forum.
Youth are the future of food systems, and their active participation is not just a possibility but a necessity. We must ensure that young people are equipped with the tools, resources and skills they need to succeed in the agricultural sector.
This year’s theme also resonated deeply with me, as it highlighted the need for innovation and digital skills in a climate-affected world. With 70% of Africa’s population under 30, integrating youth into every aspect of food systems development is crucial. The energy, innovation, and commitment I witnessed among young leaders were inspiring. We have an opportunity to leverage this potential by creating meaningful pathways for youth to lead the transformation of food systems, not as an afterthought but as central players in driving sustainable food production.
Shared Reflections on Private Sector Engagement
During the plenary session on the first day, we witnessed the launch of the AGRA Africa Agriculture Status Report. A key highlight for us was the report’s definition of the private sector, identifying who they are, their current role in Africa’s food system and their often-hidden nature. For THP, this definition can guide our internal conversations and help demystify who we refer to as the private sector in our work. This will enable us to enhance our reprogramming efforts related to our Private Sector Engagement Accelerator. The forum gave us a timely opportunity to engage with stakeholders from across the continent to explore how the private sector can become a driving force in making Africa’s food systems more resilient, inclusive and profitable.
Collaborations and Looking Ahead
The forum also paved the way for exciting collaborations that will help us drive impact in the near term and into future forums. We made significant strides in connecting with like-minded institutions and exploring joint initiatives:
- We linked THP- Senegal office to the CEO of Le Lionceau (www.le-lionceau.com), an innovative company doing remarkable work in Senegal, and a meeting has already been scheduled to explore synergies.
- Monika Froehler of the Ban Ki-Moon Foundation is looking forward to a collaboration call with us to further discuss how we can work together on food systems transformation.
- We actively scouted potential speakers for our November THP Summit, ensuring we bring voices that align with our vision for sustainable food systems.
- We identified institutions to collaborate with for a stronger presence at next year’s summit. Early preparation is key to maximizing our impact at future summits.
- Our Chief of Programs, Rowlands has proposed to Africa Country Leaders (CLs) to explore the possibility of securing financing opportunities in their 2025 country budgets for conference participation, including the AFSF Summit.
Looking forward, we are encouraged by these partnerships and collaborations that have emerged from this year’s forum. The knowledge gained, and the networks built reaffirm our commitment to transforming Africa’s food systems. The forum emphasized the urgency of moving beyond “business as usual” to bold, decisive action. Whether through policy reforms, technological advancements, or innovative financing models, we must prioritize collaboration and implementation to accelerate progress.
Until the next summit, we will continue shining a light on our community-led approach that is making a real difference. Together with our partners, we are determined to make sustainable food systems a reality for Africa and the world.
