What: High-level side event - "From emergency responses to food system resilience: lessons learnt from the African Emergency Food Production Facility (AEFPF) for the next generation of agricultural investment in Africa."

Who: African Development Bank Group

When: 2 September 2026, 8.00 am - 9.30 am (Kigali time)

Where: Kigali Conference Centre, Room AD12, Kigali, Rwanda

The African Development Bank Group will host a high-level side event during the African Food Systems Forum (AFS) in Kigali, Rwanda. The session will spotlight, the critical results and major lessons learnt from the African Emergency Food Production Facility (AEFPF).

The event will bring together ministers, development partners, research institutions and the private sector to map out the future of African food security. The discussions will focus on how the lessons from the AEFPF can guide the next generation of agricultural investments and strengthen the continent's resilience to future food system shocks.

Objectives of the side event

• To present the key achievements and lessons learnt from the AEFPF.
• To examine how the deployment of technologies and the acceleration of emergency food production can improve food security across the continent.
• To highlight the vital role of partnerships between governments, research institutions, development partners and the private sector.
• To explore how future agricultural investments by governments and development partners can incorporate proven technologies to reduce dependence on volatile global supply chains.
• Share best practices and successful implementation models from the Facility.
• To formulate recommendations to strengthen Africa's preparedness for future shocks to food systems.

About the African Emergency Food Production Facility (AEFPF)

The African Emergency Food Production Facility is a $1.5 billion continental initiative, launched in response to the loss of approximately 30 million metric tons of cereal supplies from the Black Sea region following the outbreak of geopolitical conflict. The Facility has supported 35 African countries to rapidly scale up food production through improved seed systems, access to fertilisers, technology dissemination, policy reforms, digital innovation and strategic partnerships.

The Facility has exceeded several of its initial targets:

• Production of over 45 million tons of food.
• Distribution of over 406,000 tons of certified seeds and 2.9 million tons of fertiliser.
• Mobilisation of nearly USD 14 billion in investment in agricultural production.
• More than 15 million farmers reached, 38.8% of whom are women.