Dakar will host the 2025 African Food Systems Forum from August 29 to September 5, an initiative of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). 5,000 participants will reflect on the theme: "African youth, spearheading collaboration, innovation, and the transformation of the food system in Africa." On the sidelines of the launch of the Vallue4Her initiative, Amath Pathé Sène, the Forum's CEO, gave an interview to Seneweb to reveal the forum's objectives and the opportunities it offers Senegalese farmers, while also challenging criticism of the agricultural model promoted by AGRA. Interview.

 

Dakar is preparing to host the Food Systems Forum. Why choose Dakar?

The Food Systems Forum is not exclusively organized by AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa); it is an initiative led by all partners, including African countries via the African Union, United Nations development organizations, international foundations, and all relevant stakeholders. AGRA acts as a coordinator mandated to represent this coalition of 38 partners and facilitate the organization. This summit, often compared to the General Assembly of African Agriculture or the African Davos, like the World Economic Forum, brings together politicians, investors, youth, women, and researchers each year to take stock of a year of actions and seize new opportunities.

The Senegalese government applied to host this event, competing with countries like Nigeria. After a rigorous process, Senegal was selected for several reasons: its promising political transition, its youth-led dynamism, the hope it inspires, as well as its infrastructure suited to a summit bringing together more than 5,000 people. This will also boost the business tourism industry and agricultural diplomacy. Under the leadership of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the Prime Minister, and Minister of Agriculture Mabouba Diagne, with the support of sectoral ministers, Senegal presented a solid case that convinced partners. Everything is ready to host this key event, which will offer the country the opportunity to attract investment in agriculture, a priority sector.

We are currently working with all teams to ensure the success of this summit, which will go beyond a simple meeting by generating economic benefits and investment opportunities, including through AGRA and the 38 other partners that I lead.

What are the objectives of this forum and what opportunities does it offer?

The forum pursues six main objectives. First, it serves as an annual platform to assess the continental agenda, embodied in the CADAP (Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program), adopted in Kampala. This program advocates the transformation of food systems, encouraging African countries to allocate more than 10% of their national budgets to this sector to create jobs, add value for youth and women, and reduce dependence on imports by developing production corridors.

Second, it aims to drive sectoral policies. To transform food systems, reforms must be adopted by parliaments and become law, replacing outdated frameworks. African parliamentary networks on food systems, in session with the Speaker of the National Assembly, will participate in this effort.

Thirdly, the forum facilitates investments and financing by inviting banks, insurance companies, investment funds and philanthropists to support, in particular, young entrepreneurs with concrete projects.

Fourth, it promotes the sharing of knowledge and know-how, avoiding duplication of efforts and encouraging good practices, lessons learned and bilateral or multilateral cooperation.

Fifth, it emphasizes youth leadership, the central theme of this summit: "African Youth, Spearheading Collaboration, Innovation and Transformation of the Food System in Africa." The goal is to let them express themselves and co-create with decision-makers, breaking the model where they are only beneficiaries.

Finally, it aims to establish a model of collaboration to share equipment and solutions, with a unique agri-expo at the exhibition center, presenting technological and digital innovations adapted to the 21st century, far from traditional methods such as daba.

For the country, what are the expected benefits?

For Senegal, this event will strengthen its international influence, its diplomacy, and the revival of a strategic sector: agriculture. It will stimulate the business tourism industry, particularly through infrastructure such as those in Diamniadio and the city's conference centers, which must be self-financing and generate revenue. In Rwanda, for example, nearly 200 annual events support this dynamic. This will boost hotels, airlines, businesses, and local agriculture, positioning Senegal as a hub in West Africa, after South Africa and Rwanda. A convention bureau could be created to attract more international meetings, thus preparing the country for events such as the Olympic Games and optimizing its economic strategy.

In terms of results, what can we learn from AGRA's actions in the different countries where it operates?

As Regional Director of AGRA, an African institution created in 2006, I emphasize that it responds to the need for an African organization dedicated to agriculture, led by Africans (99% of its staff). An alternative to the FAO or international NGOs, AGRA relies on a variety of funding sources (states, foundations) and began with a focus on seeds. Faced with the problem of access to quality seeds and corruption in this sector, AGRA has helped countries like Rwanda, formerly dependent on Kenyan imports, achieve self-sufficiency in a few years thanks to cooperatives supported by the military. In Senegal, where this challenge persists, AGRA will open an office to replicate this success.

Over time, AGRA has expanded its focus to climate change, promoting sustainable agriculture by strengthening state capacity. It also works on intra-African trade, aiming to optimize production corridors in the face of $100 billion in food imports, and on fertilizers to restore leached soils.

Paradoxically, some say that the model promoted by AGRA degrades the soil because it is based on the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and monoculture. What is the reality?

This criticism is not entirely founded. AGRA's model advocates sustainable agriculture. As an agricultural engineer, I know that producing 10 tons per hectare requires certified seeds, mechanization, water, fertilizers, and pesticides to combat pests, according to international standards respected by developed economies for centuries. Speculation about GMOs or chemicals is exaggerated; these countries invest massively in research to minimize risks, while Africa, with only 5% irrigation compared to 56% elsewhere, remains far from these standards due to lack of resources.

Our goal is to improve yields, which are among the lowest in the world, to achieve food security. Producing for two when you need to feed ten is impossible; producing ten with the right inputs (A, B, C, D, E) ensures self-sufficiency. This debate often lacks solid scientific data. Each country must adapt: organic fertilizers are suitable for humid areas, but in a dry country like Senegal, adapted solutions, validated by local research, are necessary.

What do you think of agroecology? Do you think it's the best alternative for achieving food sovereignty without degrading our soils?

Agroecology is an excellent alternative. It integrates arboriculture, forestry, and reforestation to restore soils, combining food and fruit crops with techniques such as plant cover. In Africa, indigenous methods such as Zaï or half-moons, practiced for millennia in difficult conditions (Chad, Niger), have proven their effectiveness, even though they are unknown in the West. These practices, known as agroecology, regenerate soils and provide a balanced diet. We promote them through projects and calls for tenders, promoting adapted African solutions, such as certified seeds, for a balance between productivity and sustainability.

How much do you project the expected financial opportunities from this forum?

Funding depends on the country's portfolio. We support SMEs with amounts ranging from $50,000 to $4 million, often working in consortiums to absorb these funds. In some countries, portfolios reach $40 million over two to three years, with calls for proposals evaluated by sector (cashew, milk, etc.). In Senegal, where we are opening an office, we will aim for at least $30 to $40 million initially, as in Tanzania or Rwanda, depending on the strategy defined with the government and the country's attractiveness.