The Alliance at the Africa Food Systems Forum 2025
The Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) will take place from August 31 to September 05, 2025, in Dakar Diamniadio, Senegal. The forum is organized under the leadership of H.E. Bassirou Diomaye Faye, under the theme “Africa’s Youth Leading Collaboration, Innovation, and Implementation of Agri-Food Systems Transformation”.
With only five years left to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and one year away from the Malabo Declaration's deadline, transforming African food systems stands as a paramount task, crucial for ensuring food security and fostering job opportunities particularly for youth and women on the continent.
The summit aims to catalyze this transformation through innovative science and policies, digital technologies and equipment’s, home-grown and global solutions, and scaled investments.
Given the Alliance's commitment to transforming food systems in Africa, our experts will take part in various activities throughout the week, including:
September 1, 2025
Main Session - Education of Young Scientists: Attracting Youth to Research, Science, and Innovation.
Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg
Managing Director, Africa, and Trustee, Bioversity International USASpecial Event - The Future of Opportunity Crops in Africa
Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg
Managing Director, Africa, and Trustee, Bioversity International USA
Carlo Fadda
Director, AgrobiodiversitySpecial Event - FASA: Catalytic Capital Empowers Agri-Entrepreneurs
Godefroy Grosjean
CGIAR Sustainable Finance (ImpactSF) Co-LeadStrategic investments in African agricultural SMEs are pivotal to empower this sector in becoming more climate resilient. Despite this, there is a consistent funding gap, which the African Development Bank estimates at $75 billion per year. This is particularly true for young entrepreneurs, who face significant challenges in attracting capital.
As a fund of funds, Financing for Agricultural SMEs in Africa (FASA) aims to shift this dynamic, providing funds operating in the continent with catalytic capital and technical expertise to strengthen the financial sector and create an ecosystem where young entrepreneurs can thrive. During the panel speakers will explore some of the challenges of mobilizing capital in this context, such as the difficulty in collecting and reporting reliable impact data and will discuss practical solutions to address them. They will also highlight their experience in working with young entrepreneurs, and how to best support them.
Other Speakers:
- Sandra Milach, Chief Scientist, CGIAR
- Ada Osakwe, Agrolay Ventures Founder and Managing Director, FASA AIC Member
- Amb. Paul Gulleik Larsen, Special Representative for Climate and Food Initiatives, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Jen Marshall Haugen, Deputy Director of Global Food Security Hub, FCDO
- Mamadou Ndao, FASA Investment Director Investisseurs Et Partenaires (I&P)
- Rouffahi Koabo, EY4 Program Director, Teranga Capital
September 2, 2025
Side Event - Green and Low Carbon Transformation of Agrifood Systems in China and Africa
Issa Ouedraogo
Senior Scientist, Country Representative for SenegalSide Event - Future-Proofing West African Food Systems: Empowering Youth, Fostering Innovation, and Meeting User Needs in CSA & CIS
Robert B. Zougmoré
Director, AICCRASeptember 3, 2025
Side Event - Agro entrepreneuriat féminin et investissement sensible au genre - Gender-Smart Agro business pitch
Ena Derenoncourt
Senior Officer, CGIAR Hub for Sustainable Finance (ImpactSF)
Issa Ouedraogo
Senior Scientist, Country Representative for SenegalMain Session - Sustainable Productivity - REGENERATING AFRICA: How Young Agripreneurs are Leading Food Systems Transformation through Agroecology for People and Planet
Juan Lucas Restrepo
Director General, and Trustee, Bioversity International UK/USASpecial Event - Financing Digital Agriculture and Agroecology
Jonathan Mockshell
Scientist and Project LeaderMasterclass - Risk analysis & management for small African agribusinesses
Liz Ogutu
Policy Manager and Lead, Eastern and Southern Africa region for Climate Action
Nathanial Peterson
Senior ScientistWith Enabling Market Intelligence and Building Engagement (EMBE) and CGIAR Food Systems Accelerator (CFSA).
Other Trainers:
- Millicent Omala
- Diane Ombasyi
Special Event - Biodiversity Bites: rediscovering opportunity crops for climate, nutrition, and soil health - invitation-only
Juan Lucas Restrepo
Director General, and Trustee, Bioversity International UK/USA
Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg
Managing Director, Africa, and Trustee, Bioversity International USASeptember 4, 2025
Masterclass - Investment & Financing for Resilient Food Systems
Dorcas Jalang'o Anyango
Research Team Leader
Issa Ouedraogo
Senior Scientist, Country Representative for Senegal
Siagbé Golli
Senior Research Associate
Liz Ogutu
Policy Manager and Lead, Eastern and Southern Africa region for Climate ActionMain Session - Empowering African Youth, Women, and Farmers for Climate Action in Food Systems
