Agricultural experts at the 6th Africa Resilience Forum, held in Abidjan from 1–3 October 2025, urged African governments to reposition farmers from recipients of food aid to active providers. Panelists emphasized that agriculture is a critical activity in crisis zones and that sustainable development and peace depend on food security. Roland Fomundam, CEO of Greenhouse Ventures, highlighted the need to involve farmers directly in policy discussions, noting that solutions are often designed without their input.
Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), stressed that farmers act as the private sector by investing and finding solutions, and recommended tracking improvements in producers’ incomes to measure impact. The panel discussion, titled “Achieving resilient and transformative impact for large-scale food security in Africa,” included representatives from Somalia, the African Development Bank Group, the World Food Programme, and agripreneurs from Kenya.
Drawing on Somalia’s experience, Abdilhakim Yusuf Ali Ainte highlighted the importance of mobilizing the private sector, noting that $6 billion had been leveraged to strengthen human capital and save lives. Martin Fregene of the African Development Bank emphasized building on existing production systems, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises to double production, ensuring their survival, and involving agricultural producers through financing, innovation support, climate-resilient infrastructure, and access to inputs. He also underscored the importance of farmer training, extension services, and networking.
Kenyan agripreneur Felista Nyakio called for a shift in societal perception of farming, stressing that children should be encouraged to see agriculture as a valued and integral part of national development. The sixth Africa Resilience Forum, organized by the African Development Bank Group under the theme “Prevention for better action: financing peace in a context of development cooperation in transition,” provided a platform for policy-makers and practitioners to explore strategies for prevention, peace-promoting investments, and sustainable development across the continent.
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