By Editor
AGRA launched a powerful suite of partnerships this morning at the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF), targeting private investment, climate resilience, and youth empowerment to overhaul the continent’s agricultural landscape.
The announcements respond directly to the Africa Food Systems Report 2025, which reveals a stark paradox, while agricultural output has grown faster in Africa than anywhere else at 4.3% annually since 2000, one in three African children still suffers from stunting.
“Africa cannot afford piecemeal progress,” said Alice Ruhweza, President of AGRA. “We must seize this moment to scale inclusive innovations, attract investment, and put farmers, youth, and small businesses at the center of our food systems.”
The new initiatives specifically target Africa’s “hidden middle”, the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that form the critical link between smallholder farmers and formal markets.
Unlocking Capital for the “Hidden Middle”In partnership with the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF), AGRA unveiled Africa100.
This catalytic initiative will identify and support 100 high-potential anchor firms across 12 countries to unlock private capital and drive job creation.
Concurrently, AGRA is collaborating with the governments of Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania to establish Investible Flagships.
These programs will create national pipelines of bankable projects designed to advance food security and climate resilience.Transforming the Poultry SectorTo boost affordable nutrition and rural livelihoods, AGRA introduced a Poultry Transformation Package.
It includes a Poultry Feed Innovation Grand Challenge with AECF and the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU) to find cost-cutting feed solutions.
This effort will culminate in the first Poultry Futures Forum in Zambia in November 2025.Elevating Africa’s Next GenerationThe new package places youth and communication at its core.
A partnership with advocacy organization Global Citizen will amplify the voices of young Africans transforming food systems. AGRA also co-created the Africa Media Fellowship Award with Farm Radio International to nurture a new generation of agricultural storytellers.
A separate Farm Radio partnership will leverage its network of over 1,300 radio stations to reach millions of farmers directly.“Africa’s young people are not just the future,” added Ruhweza.
“They are today’s farmers, innovators, and storytellers, and their voices must shape the global food narrative.”
Linking Nutrition to Stable MarketsFurther addressing the nutrition paradox, AGRA announced a School Meals Coalition in collaboration with African First Ladies and the Rockefeller Foundation.
The coalition will directly link smallholder farmers to school feeding programs, ensuring children receive nutritious, locally sourced meals while providing farmers with a reliable market.
Together, these partnerships answer the 2025 report’s call for systemic change, moving beyond isolated progress to build interconnected systems that nourish populations and create prosperity.“Our message is clear,” said Ruhweza.
“Africa’s food future is not just about producing more; it’s about producing better. By investing in SMEs, empowering youth, and building resilient markets, we are building systems that nourish, employ, and prosper.”
