High-Level Conference to Address Financing for Small-Scale Farmers in Africa Planned for 2025

0
60

The Pan African Farmers’ Organization (PAFO) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) will co-host a High-Level Conference on Financing Small-Scale Farmers in the second quarter of 2025.

The event aims to mobilize stakeholders to tackle the financial challenges faced by small-scale farmers and explore sustainable solutions to improve their livelihoods.

This initiative follows a meeting between PAFO and AfDB, during which the organizations also agreed on an action plan emphasizing capacity building, technology integration, and access to finance, particularly for women and youth farmers.

PAFO President Ibrahima Coulibaly expressed optimism about the partnership, highlighting its potential to empower smallholders and align with AfDB’s “Feed Africa” strategy to transform the continent’s agriculture sector.

“The Bank’s ‘Feed Africa’ strategy is an important step toward transforming Africa’s farming sector, and we are excited to work with the Bank to help shape this vision,” said Coulibaly. “Through this partnership, we are committed to helping farmers gain the support and resources they need to succeed, especially women and youth.

Coulibaly visited the Bank’s headquarters on December 13, 2024, to advance the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in October 2023.

This partnership aligns with the Bank’s ‘High 5’ priorities, particularly “Feed Africa,” and builds on its commitment to fostering collaboration with civil society organizations. The Bank recognizes the crucial role of such organizations in driving sustainable development.

Coulibaly outlined PAFO’s mission and strategic priorities to empower smallholder farmers and advocate for their rights, stressing the need for greater strategic support from the Bank to address challenges in agriculture, which has the potential to solve 80% of the continent’s problems.

Dr. Martin Fregene, Director of the Agriculture and Agro-industry, reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to the partnership, highlighting its investments in agriculture, which have benefited over 14 million producers through initiatives that provide inputs and improve market access. He acknowledged persistent challenges in the sector and welcomed ideas from civil society organizations like PAFO to enhance the Bank’s impact.