As the new year begins, GAFSP reflects on the vital role played by millions of smallholder farmers worldwide in strengthening food security, nutrition, and rural livelihoods. The program recognizes the resilience, innovation, and dedication of farmers, alongside the partnerships within GAFSP that support their work. Following a successful Steering Committee Meeting in Rome, GAFSP’s Coordination Unit and leadership are entering 2026 with renewed momentum and a clear sense of purpose.
A central focus for 2026 is the implementation of Vision 2030, GAFSP’s strategic response to escalating global hunger and food system disruptions. With hundreds of millions of people facing food insecurity amid conflict, economic pressures, and climate-related shocks, Vision 2030 emphasizes transformative agrifood solutions. GAFSP aims to channel resources toward integrated innovations, strengthen multi-sector partnerships that empower smallholder farmers, and reduce risks to attract larger public and private investments across agrifood value chains. The move toward a country-led call for proposals marks an important operational milestone, particularly in a period of declining official development assistance.
GAFSP will also expand direct support to smallholder farmers and producer organizations in 2026. Increased financing will help farmers access technology, training, finance, employment opportunities, and markets, improving productivity and incomes at the community level. The upcoming allocation under the eighth call for producer organization-led initiatives reinforces GAFSP’s commitment to farmer-driven development by enabling access to critical inputs, credit, and infrastructure such as storage, processing, and technology.
Mobilizing blended finance remains another priority as GAFSP seeks to unlock more private capital for underserved agribusinesses and rural enterprises. Through its Private Sector Window and the Business Investment Financing Track, the program combines grants and concessional finance to reduce risks and expand access to finance for actors across agrifood value chains, enabling more farmers and enterprises to participate in sustainable growth.
Strengthening food security in Africa will be advanced through closer alignment between GAFSP and the African Union. By coordinating GAFSP’s country-led financing with the implementation of the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme Kampala Strategy, the partnership supports nationally owned priorities to improve productivity, resilience, and nutrition while contributing to the African Union’s broader Agenda 2063 objectives.
GAFSP will continue to prioritize fragile and conflict-affected contexts, where food insecurity is often most acute. A significant share of GAFSP’s grant financing supports countries facing conflict and instability, where disrupted production, supply chains, and livelihoods threaten vulnerable communities. Through continued engagement in these settings, GAFSP helps farmers restore livelihoods and rebuild local food systems, while strengthening linkages between its various financing tracks to improve coordination, co-financing, and learning.
Finally, GAFSP’s work in 2026 aligns closely with the World Bank Group’s AgriConnect initiative, which seeks to help smallholders move from subsistence to surplus production. By supporting foundational investments, policy reforms, and access to finance, and by leveraging collaboration across international financial institutions and private partners, GAFSP contributes to connecting farmers with markets, digital tools, and capital. Together, these efforts represent a shift toward coordinated, scalable investments in agricultural transformation, offering renewed hope for inclusive progress for smallholder farmers and rural communities worldwide.
