As the international community prepares for the UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4) at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 28 and 29 July, the urgency of financing food systems transformation is in the spotlight. At the summit, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will highlight the effects of current shifts in food systems financing on the most vulnerable: rural people and small-scale farmers.
Nearly 3 billion people live in rural areas of developing countries. Small-scale farmers produce up to 70 per cent of food in their regions. Investing in their potential is not only just, but essential for a sustainable future.
Yet an estimated 90 per cent of small-scale farmers still lack access to formal, affordable financial services. The UNFSS+4 will serve as a platform to review the progress made in implementing an integrated approach to food systems transformation, and to discuss next steps aimed at achieving measurable outcomes and scaling up action. IFAD will advocate for strategic investment in agricultural development as a key to reducing food insecurity and poverty, fostering global peace, and creating a sustainable planet for future generations.
IFAD leaders and experts will be present at UNFSS + 4 in Addis Ababa on 28-29 July and are available for interviews in person and via Zoom.
- Alvaro Lario, IFAD President (English, Spanish)
- Federica Diamanti, IFAD Associate Vice President for External Relations (English, Italian)
- Nadine Gbossa, IFAD Director, Food Systems Coordination (English, French)
- Sara Mbago-Bhunu, IFAD Regional Director East and Southern Africa (English)
- Bernard Hien, IFAD Regional Director West and Central Africa (English, French)
Highlights for media attending the summit
Side Event: Africa’s Scaling Up Capacity for Financial Intelligence in Africa’s Food Systems
28 July 2025 | 13.00-14.15 | Room CR 3
This high-level side event will focus on showcasing preliminary results and progress in Financial Flows to Food Systems (3FS) implementation across countries. This will be a high-profile event bringing together ministers and other high-level officials to engage on a topic that aligns with the current evolving global architecture of development financing.
Featured Event: High-Level Launch of the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025 (SOFI)
28 July 2025 | 18.30-20.00 | Africa Hall
Despite a decrease in the number of people experiencing hunger globally in 2024 compared to 2022 and 2023, hunger remains above pre-pandemic levels and continues to rise in Africa and Western Asia (including the Middle East). The proportion of the population facing hunger in Africa is still on the raise. During this high-level featured event, the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025 (SOFI) will be launched by leaders from FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO.
Side event: Scope of investment for transformation towards an equitable, resilient and nutrition sensitive food-systems: evidence and action
29 July 2025 | 13.00-14.15 | Small Briefing Room
This high-level side event introduces Bangladesh’s Food Systems Pathways Plan of Action (PoA) and its Financial Flows to Food Systems (3FS) analysis, identifying investment gaps, sector-specific priorities, and evidence needs. Bringing together governments, DFIs, and partners, it aims to align support for equitable, resilient, and nutrition-sensitive food systems. The PoA integrates national policies and global commitments (e.g., N4G, NDC) through a systems-based, evidence-driven approach. Despite climate and global challenges, Bangladesh’s transformation journey offers lessons for the Global South. The event emphasizes youth-centric, inclusive investments and promotes regional collaboration, particularly across South Asia, for shared learning, capacity building, and resource mobilization.
Featured Event: The Implementation of the CAADP Strategy and Action Plan: Interactive dialogue between African Youth Agri-Food Entrepreneurs and African Leaders
29 July 2025 | 13.30-14.30 | Room CR 2
The session will spotlight the new generation of African Youth Agrifood Entrepreneurs 2.0 emerging across African countries. The event will focus on strengthening the existing AU-Youth Platform for this new generation of youth agri-business entrepreneurs to engage in a candid, open, and practical dialogue with African leaders from the public, private, and development finance sectors.
