AGRA

Why beans are important to child nutrition. Betty Kabara, a native of Eastern Kenya, grew up with a deep understanding of the challenges and rewards of providing nutritious meals for children. Her childhood experiences, centered around the humble Githeri meal, shaped her passion for ensuring that every child has access to healthy, affordable food. Betty's dedication to improving school meals led her to spearhead the development of high-iron beans and sorghum varieties. These nutrient-rich grains are not only affordable,  but also highly beneficial for children's growth and development. Read more on her story here 👉  https://lnkd.in/dCbzXHtT  #FoodSystems #AFSForum24 #AGRAImpact

Investing in Food Systems & the Sports Industry: You Are What You Eat Sports, nutrition, and health go hand-in-hand, offering people of different abilities and ages worldwide the chance for happier, healthier, and more productive lives. Various sports legends from the continent came from rural areas or modest urban backgrounds but have been performing for many years thanks to discipline, good health, and nutrition. #FoodSystems | #AFSForum24 Richard Nyirishema AGNES KALIBATA  

 Malnutrition costs Africa billions of dollars due to the higher healthcare costs and loss of productivity. Micronutrient deficiencies are a silent killer of children and people, affecting mental acuity. Investing in nutrition is both a moral imperative and a sound economic investment. Food systems approaches to building comprehensive and innovative public policies and programs for both the supply and demand sides of food and the food environment, where consumers make their food-related decisions, need to be "nutrition-sensitive". To achieve this, nutrition must be mainstreamed across sectoral policies and food systems programs.  Affordable healthy food options are fundamental to the development of more equitable and sustainable food systems. #FoodSystems #AFSForum24 #AGRAImpact #AFSForum2024 Remarks by Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Former President of Nigeria.

DAY 1 | ECOWAS & PARTNERS SIDE-EVENT; Scaling Investments for Rice Self-Sufficiency: Opportunities and Challenges By empowering smallholder farmers with mechanization, supportive policies, and improved infrastructure, we can unlock the agricultural potential of various countries, boosting their global competitiveness. #FoodSystems #AFSForum24 #AGRAImpact AGNES KALIBATA

Kigali Convention Center played host to the Africa’s largest forum on agriculture, the Africa Food Systems Forum 2024. The official opening ceremony was officiated by Rwanda’s Prime Minister, Hon Édouard Ngirente. This year’s theme "Innovate, Accelerate, and Scale, calls for harnessing the creativity of Africa's youth and women to drive economic progress, and that was the message that each speaker rallied at the opening ceremony. Here is the sneak peak of what happened on Day 1 of AFS Forum 2024. Siki Kigongo | Patrick Githinji | Amath Pathe SENE | Victoria Chelangat Sabula | Henry Musa Kpaka | AFS Forum

The opening ceremony was nothing short of captivating! It pulled in 5000+ delegates to officially kick off the #AFSForum2024, setting the tone for what promises to be a transformative event. The energy in the room was palpable as leaders, innovators and stakeholders from across Africa and beyond convened to embark on a journey towards sustainable food systems for Africa. Rt. Hon. Dr. Prime Minister of Rwanda Edouard Ngirente officially declared the 2024 Africa Food Systems Forum open and wished all delegates an enjoyable stay in Rwanda. #InnovateAccelerateScale AGNES KALIBATA | Amath Pathe SENE | Ildephonse Musafiri, PhD | AGRA

Day 1 | Accountability, Status and Policy Implication; Launch of the AASR report. Food Systems Philosophy is the current world trend to promote and mainstream multi-dimensional approach that encompasses agricultural productivity, food and nutrition security, sustainability, and economic development. The summit rotates across African countries and comes back to Rwanda after 1 year (in 2022 it was held in Rwanda while in 2023 it was held in Tanzania & 2024 back to Rwanda). Its overarching goal is to mobilize all stakeholders (policymakers, private sector, academia, youth, women, and farmers) The AFS summit, is expected to gather about 5,000 participants who will share lessons and take practical actions to build productive, nutritious, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable African food systems that have the power to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. #FoodSystems #AFSForum24 #AGRAImpact Ildephonse Musafiri, PhD AGNES KALIBATA

Day 1 | Challenges that young people face in the career of Agriculture. Bertha Lilian Mkandawire, Nutrition Lead at AGRA, highlighted the significant challenges faced by young people considering a career in agriculture in Africa. The key challenges identified include: ✅ Limited Job Opportunities: Despite agriculture providing a majority of jobs, the job market is saturated, leading to a mismatch between the number of job seekers and available positions. ✅ Access to Land: Land scarcity and high costs pose significant barriers for young people, limiting their ability to start agricultural ventures. ✅ Lack of Financial Resources: Many young people lack the savings, collateral, or assets necessary to secure loans for agricultural businesses. ✅ Insufficient Knowledge and Skills: The modern agricultural landscape requires specific skills and knowledge that many young people may not possess. To address these challenges, AGRA launched the YEFFA program. This initiative aims to create opportunities for young people in the agricultural sector by: 🥕 Influencing Policy: Advocating for policies that facilitate access to land for young farmers. 🥕 Providing Financial Support: Collaborating with banks to offer business development services, including financing, training, and skills development. By addressing these challenges and providing support through programs like YEFFA, AGRA is working to make agriculture a more attractive and viable career path for young people in Africa. #FoodSystems #AFSForum24 #AGRAImpact  #AFSForum2024 AGNES KALIBATA Jean W. Kiarie Asseta Diallo Tilahun Amede Bertha Mkandawire Hamadi Boga

DAY 1 |  Sierra Leone Legacy Program: Country Dealroom Launch. Tanzania's legacy program last year set a strong foundation for food systems, showing how government commitment can drive change. Now, Sierra Leone has the potential to become a powerhouse in food security. Launching a similar program here is crucial to moving Sierra Leone forward and building a sustainable future. #FoodSystems | #AFSForum24 AGNES KALIBATA

Sights and scenes of the official opening ceremony of the Africa Food Systems Forum 2024. ➡ Opening Ceremony ➡ AASR Report Launch ➡ Sierra Leone Legacy Programme ➡ Food Action Alliance Partners session And a lot more.... Siki Kigongo Jean W. Kiarie Patrick Githinji AFS Forum Adam Gerstenmier