More than 5,000 African and global leaders, policymakers, investors, scientists, entrepreneurs, and young innovators from over 50 countries are expected in Kigali, Rwanda, for the 20th Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF).
The forum will run from August 31 to September 5, 2026, under the theme “Investing in Africa’s Agri-Food Systems: Nourishing Nations, Growing Jobs, Building Resilience.”
The meeting will focus on how Africa can strengthen food systems to feed a growing population, create jobs, drive economic transformation and withstand climate-related shocks.
AFSF 2026 will build on commitments made at last year’s forum in Senegal, where six countries unveiled programmes targeting more than six billion US dollars in investments for food systems transformation, youth employment and sustainable agricultural value chains.
The Kigali forum will bring together governments, development finance institutions, investors and the private sector to identify investment opportunities, strengthen project pipelines and accelerate implementation across Africa’s food and agriculture sectors.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame is expected to officially open the forum, which marks 20 years of AFSF as a major platform for food and agriculture transformation.
A key feature will be the Council of the Wise, bringing together six former African heads of state and government for discussions on leadership, resilience and the future of the continent’s food systems.
The council will include former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, former Guinean Prime Minister Mohamed Beavogui, former Nigerian President Mahamadou Issoufou, former Beninese Prime Minister Lionel Zinsou and former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn, who also chairs the AGRA Board of Directors.
The forum comes as African countries grapple with food insecurity, climate shocks, rapid population growth, unemployment and limited access to capital.
“Africa has the knowledge, the innovation and the entrepreneurial energy to transform how our continent produces, processes, trades and consumes food. What we need now is to match that ambition with investment and action at scale,” said Amath Pathé Sene, Managing Director of the Africa Food Systems Forum.
“As we mark 20 years, we are bringing leaders together in Kigali not simply to discuss the challenges before us, but to forge the partnerships, unlock the capital and advance the solutions that can nourish our nations, create jobs for our young people and build more resilient food systems for generations to come,” noted Sene.
The programme will centre on five priorities: investment and finance; food security and nutrition; climate resilience; youth and digital innovation; and trade, markets and value chains.
The forum will also feature an AFSF Deal Room, connecting African agribusinesses, entrepreneurs and innovators with investors and financial institutions to explore opportunities and mobilise capital.
Youth, entrepreneurship and innovation will remain central to the discussions, including the role of technology in creating opportunities for Africa’s young population across agricultural and food value chains.
The forum will also highlight the contribution of women in food production, processing, trade and household nutrition, while examining ways to create more inclusive investment and market opportunities.
AFSF 2026 will showcase Rwanda’s experience in food-systems transformation and position Kigali as a platform for African and global leaders working on agriculture, food and investment.
The meeting will also look ahead to major continental and global milestones, including implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme and preparations for COP32 in Addis Ababa.
The forum will conclude with a Food Festival celebrating food, culture and innovation, alongside a closing communique linked to the Kampala CAADP Declaration.
“After 20 years of progress, the question facing Africa is no longer whether transformation is possible, but whether the continent can mobilise the investment, partnerships and action required to deliver it. AFSF 2026 will bring those decisions to Kigali,” noted Sene.