ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, October 10, 2025 — At the Forum for Resilience in Africa 2025, agricultural and development experts have called on African governments to redefine the role of farmers — turning them from recipients of food aid into providers of sustainable food solutions.
The forum, organized by the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), convened policymakers, international organizations, and agribusiness leaders to discuss practical strategies for achieving food security, resilience, and peace across the continent.
Held in Abidjan from 1–3 October, the sixth edition of the Forum for Resilience in Africa 2025 centered on the theme “Prevention for Better Action: Financing Peace in a Context of Development Cooperation in Transition.”
The gathering provided a platform to explore policies and partnerships aimed at reducing vulnerability to crises while promoting investment in sustainable food systems.
Farmers Must Be Partners in Policy, Not Passive Beneficiaries
Speaking during a high-level panel discussion on “Achieving resilient and transformative impact for large-scale food security in Africa,” Roland Fomundam, CEO of Greenhouse Ventures, emphasized that true resilience begins by integrating farmers into national and regional policy discussions.
“Agriculture is a dominant activity in crisis zones. We’re told there can be no development without peace — but without food, there is no peace,” said Fomundam.
“It’s time to involve farmers directly in discussions that shape agricultural policy. Too often, these policies are drawn up without the farmers themselves.”
Echoing this sentiment, Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), highlighted the need to view farmers as economic actors and innovators rather than aid recipients.
“Farmers are the private sector — they invest, they find solutions. To improve livelihoods, we must focus on measurable outcomes, like increasing producers’ incomes and strengthening market access,” Bechdol noted.
Forum for Resilience in Africa 2025: Advancing Food Security and Peace
Panelists also included Abdilhakim Yusuf Ali Ainte, Director of Food Security and Climate in Somalia’s Office of the Prime Minister; Martin Fregene, Director of Agriculture and Agribusiness at the AfDB; Rania Dagash-Kamara, Deputy Executive Director for Partnerships and Resource Mobilization at the World Food Programme (WFP); and Felista Nyakio, a Kenyan agripreneur and youth advocate.
Drawing from Somalia’s experience, Ainte shared how the country has leveraged its private sector to mobilize over $6 billion to boost food production and human capital.
“The private sector is the most important resource we have. For sustainable food security, we need dynamic private partners at the table to design and deliver solutions,” he said.
Fregene, representing the African Development Bank, emphasized that rebuilding Africa’s food systems does not require starting from scratch.
“We must build on existing production systems. Small and medium-sized enterprises produce most of the food Africans consume. Our goal is to help them double productivity and remain viable,” he explained.
According to Fregene, the AfDB supports producers through direct financing, innovation, and climate-resilient infrastructure, while improving access to inputs, training, and markets.
“Through our Feed Africa strategy, we are connecting farmers to financing, technology, and regional value chains,” he added.
Changing Perceptions and Inspiring the Next Generation
Kenyan farmer and agripreneur Felista Nyakio urged African societies to reshape how they view agriculture.
“Farming is often seen as degrading work, yet it sustains our economies,” she said.
“We must teach children that farmers are the nation’s backbone. Agriculture should be a source of pride — not a last resort.”
Her remarks drew strong applause, resonating with the Forum for Resilience in Africa 2025’s broader call for youth engagement in agribusiness and rural innovation.
Driving Prevention, Peace, and Prosperity
The Forum for Resilience in Africa 2025 serves as a critical platform for aligning humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts under one vision.
Organized by the African Development Bank Group, it brings together more than 500 participants from governments, regional organizations, civil society, and the private sector.
The forum explores strategies for financing prevention, stimulating peace-promoting investments, and building resilience across Africa’s most vulnerable regions.
By focusing on prevention and proactive development, the Forum seeks to reduce reliance on emergency assistance and accelerate progress toward self-reliance and stability.
Experts concluded that transforming Africa’s agricultural sector is key to achieving resilience. Empowering farmers as food producers, enhancing regional trade, and encouraging investment in agritech and infrastructure were identified as critical steps toward ending the cycle of aid dependency.
“The Forum for Resilience in Africa 2025 reaffirms a simple truth — Africa’s path to peace and prosperity lies in the hands of its farmers,” concluded Fomundam.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Media Contact:
Raquel Wilson
Communication and External Relations Department
Email: [email protected]
SOURCE:
African Development Bank Group (AfDB)
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