Breakthrough as summit roots for Africa food systems transformation

The Africa Food System Summit 2023, held in Dar es Salaam, concluded with high-level discussions and commitments to transform the continent's food systems. Chaired by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the hybrid-format summit brought together leaders, policymakers, and experts, drawing over 5,400 delegates from 90 countries. With a theme of "Recover, Regenerate, Act," the summit focused on inclusive action, particularly highlighting the roles of women and youth in agricultural transformation. The Agribusiness Deal Room revealed a $10.2 billion investment pipeline, and the AGRF Presidential Summit emphasized collaboration for resilient food systems. The Netherlands actively participated, with a networking reception showcasing Dutch interest in agricultural investments and contributions to Africa's food system transformation.

AGRF - Image 1 — Africa Food Summit (AGRF-2023) held at Julius Nyerere Conventional Centre in Dar es Salaam - Tanzania (September, 2023)

Background

The Africa Food System Summit 2023 concluded with high-level discussions, innovative solutions, and ambitious commitments to transform the continent's food systems. Held at the Julius Nyerere conventional center in Dar es Salaam, on September 3-8, 2023, in a hybrid format brought together leaders, policymakers, and experts to address food security, nutrition, and sustainability. Hosted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, under President Samia Suluhu Hassan's chairpersonship (pictured 1), the Summit drew over 5,400 delegates from 90 countries, including 5 Heads of State, 30 ministers, and 6 former Heads of State. Featuring 41 sessions with 800 speakers, including farmers, women, and the youth, it emphasized inclusive action on Africa's food systems. Wilma van Esch, Head Food and Nutrition Security (IGG) from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Netherlands, participated in the Summit and in a panel on Transforming African Food Systems for Stronger Nutritional Benefits.

The Summit delved into strategies and measures essential for expediting the transformation of food systems in Africa, guided by the theme "Recover, Regenerate, Act." It served as a forum to discuss Africa's responses to food systems transformation, offering a stage for thought leaders, policymakers, and innovators to investigate the most recent advancements and exemplary approaches in agriculture. A special emphasis was placed on women and the youth as pivotal forces for agricultural transformation, while also translating commitments into tangible strategies, notably addressing climate-related challenges.

Agribusiness Deal Room

The Agribusiness Deal Room united 10 governments, 60 SMEs, and over 100 investors, emphasizing private-sector investment in processing, logistics, and technology. Investment priorities centered on rice, livestock, fisheries, and Agro-processing parks, unveiling a $10.2 billion investment pipeline, including $10 billion in national large-scale projects and $204 million in SMEs.

AGRF Presidential Summit

Proceeded by the Presidential Summit convened African Heads of State, leaders, and stakeholders, including the Presidents of Tanzania, Senegal, Burundi, and Kenya. With a focus on "Africa's Solutions to Food Security and Sustainable Food Systems Transformation," it emphasized collaboration to attract private sector investments for a resilient food system. Key interventions included irrigation, quality seeds, and knowledge services, with livestock and fisheries highlighted. Leaders shared experiences and innovative solutions to drive Africa's food system transformation

The Netherlands Participation

Capitalizing on the presence of all key stakeholders in the agricultural arena, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of The Netherlands, H.E. Wiebe de Boer together with the Agricultural Counsellor for Kenya and Tanzania, Mr Bart Pauwels, hosted a networking reception where over 100 Dutch nationals and representatives of Dutch linked programmes took part. Several organizations used then opportunity to pitch to the audience, including The Netherlands Ministry Foreign Affairs – IGG, AMEA and SNV.

The Embassy has seen growing interest over the last years in the Dutch investments in the agricultural sector food chains and service providers in Tanzania, taking interest in tapping into opportunities in offering knowledge, technologies, and innovations through digital tools.

A pictorial impression of a Dutch networking reception at the residence in Dar es Salaam. Tanzania and the Netherlands cooperate in many projects.

AGRF Commitments and Pledges

The forum addressed critical issues to enhance food systems across the continent. It emphasized the importance of political, policy, and financial commitments to achieving productive, nutritious, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable food systems. The Forum built on the Africa Climate Summit's momentum, aiming at strengthening Africa's role in global climate change discussions, notably ahead of COP28.

Tanzania's "Build Better Tomorrow" initiative showcased the power of youth engagement in sustainable food production. Participants recognized the need for local actions to reshape Africa's food systems, focusing on equity and resilience. Cross-border collaboration, sharing best practices, and promoting value chain development were proposed to uplift smallholder farmers and reduce waste.

The Summit urged immediate action to recalibrate food systems for resilience, echoing a call for $100 billion in annual climate finance and the operationalization of the Loss and Damage facility agreed upon at COP27. Soil health, women, and youth empowerment, trade, and digitalization were all identified as crucial components in advancing Africa's food systems toward a more sustainable and inclusive future.

More information about the summit

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