The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and BF S.p.A., Italy’s largest agri-industrial group, have signed a Letter of Intent to explore new opportunities for collaboration in promoting sustainable agricultural development, particularly across Africa. Announced in Dakar on 29 October 2025 during the Dakar Business Forum, the partnership aims to strengthen food security, reduce reliance on food imports, and generate new economic opportunities in rural areas where agriculture remains the backbone of livelihoods.
During the signing ceremony, IFAD’s Associate Vice-President for External Relations, Federica Diamanti, emphasized the importance of empowering Africa’s rural communities, particularly young people and women, through strengthened agricultural systems and private sector engagement. She noted that IFAD’s role includes mitigating risks and creating a transparent investment environment to encourage sustainable growth. BF S.p.A.’s Executive President, Federico Vecchioni, highlighted that the partnership aligns with Italy’s Mattei Plan and the UN 2030 Agenda, advancing BF’s BFuture Farm model focused on technology, training, and local development to enhance food security and community resilience.
The partnership builds upon ongoing joint initiatives under Italy’s Mattei Plan for Africa and seeks to expand global collaboration between IFAD and BF S.p.A. IFAD, which currently manages over US$4 billion in active projects in sub-Saharan Africa—half of its global portfolio—continues to prioritize rural development and inclusive agricultural financing. Through partnerships with local banks, cooperatives, and youth networks, IFAD aims to channel more resources to the grassroots level, ensuring greater impact on food systems transformation.
BF S.p.A., through its subsidiary BF International, has already launched sustainable agriculture projects in Algeria, the Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire, covering approximately 130,000 hectares of land. These initiatives, part of the BFuture Farm programme, integrate regenerative agriculture, technological innovation, and community development, mirroring IFAD’s mission to promote resilience and sustainability in rural economies.
Together, IFAD and BF S.p.A. will combine their expertise to advance innovative and inclusive agro-industrial models across Africa. The partnership will focus on precision agriculture, digital technologies such as artificial intelligence and satellite monitoring, and capacity-building programmes to enhance local technical and managerial skills. Additionally, both organizations will engage in advocacy to position sustainable agriculture as a key driver of economic growth in global policy platforms.
This alliance marks a milestone in Italy’s Mattei Plan for Africa, which underscores collaboration between public institutions and private actors to achieve shared development goals. As a Rome-based UN agency, IFAD serves as a financial and technical partner in the Plan, working alongside private entities like BF S.p.A. to scale up agricultural investment, foster innovation, and promote inclusive rural transformation across the continent.
