The first gathering of African food systems experts since the U.S. government withdrew most of its foreign aid funding ended with promising indications that the continent is trying to stimulate its own agricultural production with locally sourced financing.
Held in Dakar, Senegal, last week, the 2025 Africa Food Systems Forum, or AFSF, brought aboard new partnerships aiming to accelerate the continent’s food systems transformation. Among the 6,000 attendees were civil society, business leaders, and heads of state and ministers.
The annual conference offers a platform to review policies and global trends that are shaping food systems, while connecting farmers and food experts with business and political leaders. New to this year’s lineup were ministerial-level sessions on improving dairy and meat production and tapping renewable energy to power the continent’s irrigation systems — along with an agrifood expo focused on how raw farm produce can be processed into more nutritious and ready-to-use products.
About the author
David Njagi
David Njagi is a Kenya-based Devex Contributing Reporter with over 12 years’ experience in the field of journalism. He graduated from the Technical University of Kenya with a diploma in journalism and public relations. He has reported for local and international media outlets, such as the BBC Future Planet, Reuters AlertNet, allAfrica.com, Inter Press Service, Science and Development Network, Mongabay Reporting Network, and Women’s Media Center.
