The Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) 2025 opened on a high note with heads of state, policymakers, and global leaders in attendance. Yet amid the celebration, AGRA President Alice Ruhweza delivered a sobering message at the opening plenary, urging Africa to move beyond rhetoric and translate commitments into tangible progress.
“We still have millions of people going around hungry, we still have malnutrition,” Ruhweza lamented, stressing that Africa continues to undermine its own potential by importing over $75 billion worth of food annually. While acknowledging these challenges, she highlighted a promising shift — the growing involvement of young Africans in agriculture, whom she described as “the next generation of Africa’s food system leaders.”
Her call to action was direct: governments, the private sector, researchers, and farmers must align around key continental frameworks such as the Malabo Declaration and the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). These, she said, must be translated into concrete national strategies supported by stronger public investment and enabling policies. Without such an environment, she warned, private sector financing and innovation cannot take root.
Ruhweza underscored the urgent need for infrastructure development, particularly transport and trade corridors, to unlock fragmented markets and achieve food security. She also stressed that while technology is a critical driver, it must be reinforced by policies and investments that allow innovation to reach farmers everywhere.
As she concluded, Ruhweza reaffirmed AGRA’s commitment to building sustainable food systems and urged delegates to leave the forum with more than just ideas — but with a renewed sense of purpose and clear plans for action. Her message cut through the pomp of the opening ceremony, anchoring the event on its core mission: feeding Africa.
