Leveraging finance and investments for food systems’ adaptation in Africa

On 7 September 2023 from 15:30-16:30 CEST (16:30-17:30 EAT), ECDPM together with AKADEMIYA2063 and UNDP Rome Centre, are hosting a side event 'Leveraging Finance and Investments for Food Systems’ Adaptation in Africa' which will take place during the 2023 Africa Climate Week, in parallel with the African Climate Action Summit on 4-6 September. 

Microsoft teams meeting link

Location: Nairobi, Kenya and online
Taifa hall, Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Harambee Avenue, Nairobi, Kenya

African countries will require significant investments to adapt to climate change and build resilient food systems. While there is an urgent need to unlock additional climate adaptation finance and meet global commitments, African countries are already developing national systems to mobilize and deploy funding through various policy and institutional innovations. Unlocking finance for food systems adaptation also requires the mobilization of private sector investments, including through blended finance instruments.

Drawing from the Malabo Montpellier Panel’s report ADAPT and ECDPM’s AgrInvest project, this event will pinpoint food systems financing gaps and showcase lessons learned and best practices, drawing from recent experiences in five countries: Benin, Mali, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. The event will also foster a multi-stakeholder dialogue to discuss challenges and opportunities to scale up finance for small-scale farmers, women, youth, and small- and medium-scale enterprises. Two keynote presentations will be followed by a moderated panel discussion bringing together diverse perspectives. The event will end with a call for action to build a roadmap for more and better coordinated investments for food systems’ adaptation, targeting relevant policy processes like COP26 Climate Finance Delivery Plan and UN Food System Summit’s national pathways.

Anticipated outcomes

1. Actionable recommendations to strengthen African countries’ readiness and capabilities to mobilize climate finance through the creation of conducive enabling environments for leveraging international climate finance for food systems transformation;
2. Actionable recommendations on how to improve collaboration between private and public actors to scale up the quantity and quality of blended finance to enhance food systems’ resilience to climate change and improve access to finance for smallholders, women, and agri-SMEs.
3. A call for action to build a roadmap for more and better coordinated investments for agri-food systems’ adaptation, targeting relevant climate- and food-related policy processes.

Agenda (Times in EAT)