Africa Food Systems Forum 2025 Convenes 5,000 Attendees to Address Hunger, Climate Challenges

The Africa Food Systems Forum 2025 (AFSF) convened in Dakar, Senegal, focusing on transforming Africa's agricultural and food systems with youth leadership at its core. Despite Africa possessing over 60% of the world's uncultivated arable land and abundant water resources, the continent remains heavily reliant on food imports, highlighting persistent structural challenges exacerbated by climate change, conflicts, and global economic disruptions. The forum featured plenary sessions and thematic panels addressing food insecurity affecting 282 million Africans, climate shocks, soil health management, and the role of youth-driven innovation and digital technologies in agriculture. Complementing these efforts, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) engaged with topics such as financing for food systems, trade barriers, youth unemployment policies, water security, and AI applications in food system transformation. Additionally, the International Government Communication Forum 2025 in Sharjah emphasized the intersection of government communication and food security, with sessions exploring sustainable food production, green economy strategies, and youth roles in building sustainable food systems. Collectively, these events underscore a multifaceted approach to tackling hunger, leveraging Africa's youthful population, technological innovation, policy reforms, and global partnerships to achieve food security and resilience.