Rwanda is set to become the centre of Africa’s food and agriculture agenda next month as more than 5,000 leaders, investors, policymakers, scientists, entrepreneurs and young innovators from more than 50 countries gather in Kigali for the 20th Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF).
The forum, scheduled for 31 August to 4 September 2026 at the Kigali Convention Centre, will be officially opened by President Paul Kagame and will focus on a pressing continental question: how can Africa produce more food, create millions of jobs and attract the investment needed to transform agriculture into a driver of economic growth?
Held under the theme “Investing in Africa’s Agri-Food Systems: Nourishing Nations, Growing Jobs, Building Resilience,” the five-day meeting comes as African governments seek to turn political commitments into measurable production, investment and trade outcomes.
The stakes are high. Under the African Union’s Kampala CAADP Strategy and Action Plan 2026–2035, African countries have committed to increasing agrifood output by 45 percent by 2035, mobilising US$100 billion in agricultural investment, cutting post-harvest losses by 50 percent, tripling intra-African trade in agrifood products and inputs, and raising locally processed food to 35 percent of agrifood GDP.
These targets give the Kigali forum a practical dimension. Rather than focusing only on how much food Africa produces, discussions are expected to examine whether farmers can produce enough nutritious food, whether that food reaches consumers efficiently and whether agricultural production generates decent incomes and employment.
The challenge remains substantial. An estimated 309 million people in Africa still face hunger, while access to affordable and nutritious diets remains a major concern.
At the same time, agriculture remains a major source of livelihoods, particularly in rural communities, making productivity and investment critical to Africa’s employment future.
AFSF 2026 will therefore place investment at the heart of its agenda. The forum will build on more than US$6 billion in investment programmes presented by six countries at AFSF 2025 in Senegal, while its Deal Room will connect agribusinesses and entrepreneurs with investors and financial institutions.
Five priorities will dominate the discussions: investment and finance; food security and nutrition; climate resilience; youth and digital innovation; and trade, markets and value chains.
The objective is to move capital towards investment-ready agricultural businesses and technologies while strengthening the links between farmers, processors, markets and consumers.
The forum will also examine the role of women and young people in transforming food systems.
With Africa’s population and workforce expanding rapidly, agricultural modernisation is increasingly being viewed not simply as a food-security issue, but as a jobs and industrialisation strategy.
The gathering will feature the Council of the Wise, bringing together six former African heads of state and government, alongside senior officials from the African Union, FAO, IFAD, CGIAR, development finance institutions and the private sector.
For Rwanda, hosting the 20th edition offers an opportunity to showcase its own agricultural transformation while positioning Kigali as a continental meeting point for food, investment and innovation.
The bigger test, however, will be what follows the conference. With Africa targeting a 45 percent increase in agrifood output by 2035, the Kigali meeting will be judged less by the number of leaders attending than by the investments secured, food produced, jobs created and commitments translated into action.