Mobilizing the private sector is crucial to ending hunger, malnutrition, and poverty in Africa, where more than one in five people go hungry, as emphasized by Shinjiro Koizumi, Japan’s Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), and Alvaro Lario, President of the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) at the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9). Both leaders highlighted the importance of leveraging private sector innovation, efficiency, and capital to raise incomes and create job opportunities for vulnerable rural producers, reinforcing the long-standing partnership between Japan and IFAD.
The meeting marked the first time President Lario and Minister Koizumi convened to strengthen the IFAD-Japan strategic partnership, which aims to enhance the resilience and sustainability of small-scale producers and local food systems worldwide. Since 1977, Japan has contributed US$662 million to IFAD’s core resources, making it the Fund’s eighth-largest donor. In addition to government collaboration, IFAD and Japanese private sector leaders discussed opportunities to connect companies with small-scale producers in developing countries to expand market access, improve agricultural productivity, and ensure stable food systems.
A key initiative highlighted at TICAD9 is the Enhanced Linkages between Private Sector and Small-scale Producers (ELPS), led by Japan under its 2023 G7 Presidency and implemented by IFAD. ELPS connects Japanese companies, such as coffee manufacturer UCC and trading company Marubeni, with small-scale farmers in Rwanda and Tanzania, facilitating access to local, regional, and international markets. The initiative strengthens agrifood systems, increases farmer incomes, and supports sustainable agricultural practices.
The second phase of ELPS (2026-2027) focuses on Rwanda’s macadamia nut value chain, assisting 500 smallholder producers to raise farmgate prices by around 20% through new organic certifications, including the Japanese Agricultural Standard (JAS), to access premium export markets. OSTI Group will provide US$180,000 for technical assistance and certification support, while IFAD will deliver training, inputs, and equipment valued at US$366,000, funded by MAFF. The first phase, launched in 2024, supported small-scale coffee producers in Tanzania, improving productivity and sustainability while increasing incomes, with training on good agricultural practices and compost production, particularly benefiting women farmers.
Through initiatives like ELPS, IFAD and Japan are demonstrating how public-private partnerships can drive rural development, enhance resilience, and promote sustainable agriculture, leveraging private sector investment alongside technical expertise to transform food systems and empower small-scale producers across Africa.
