Countries across Eastern Africa have outlined a renewed roadmap to accelerate agrifood systems transformation, focusing on innovation, incentives, and stronger institutional coordination to address persistent food security challenges.
At a regional meeting convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization, participants from Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda reviewed progress and agreed on strategies to strengthen food systems over the next five years leading up to 2030. Key priorities include incentivizing private sector participation, supporting smallholder farmers, and improving collaboration, financing, and knowledge-sharing mechanisms.
Delivering the keynote, Farayi Zimudzi highlighted the urgency of action, noting that the region remains one of the world’s major hunger hotspots. She pointed out that nearly 130 million people—about one in four—face hunger, underscoring the need for climate-resilient solutions to ensure access to safe and nutritious food. With the population projected to grow significantly by 2050, the pressure on food systems is expected to intensify.
Olivier Kamana emphasized that achieving sustainable food systems requires addressing key challenges such as climate change, land scarcity, soil degradation, and post-harvest losses. He stressed that coordinated efforts, increased investment in research and innovation, and collaboration among governments, development partners, and farming communities are essential.
Opening the workshop, Mohamed Aw-Dahir noted that while countries have made commitments under global frameworks, significant gaps remain in implementation. These include weak institutional coordination, limited financing, and insufficient technical capacity, which must be addressed to achieve meaningful progress.
The workshop, held from 27 to 28 March 2026, provided a platform for countries to share experiences, identify best practices, and agree on priority actions to accelerate implementation. It was organized under a regional initiative aimed at strengthening institutions and systems to support agrifood transformation.
The discussions reinforced that transforming agrifood systems is critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in a region facing rising population pressures, climate risks, and ongoing food insecurity. By aligning efforts and strengthening partnerships, Eastern African countries aim to build more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems for the future.
