Scaling investments in key African food corridors (2025-2026)

With financial support from the Italian government, we aim to improve the link between the food, trade, infrastructure and climate agendas by identifying cross-border agri-food investment opportunities in three strategic corridors in Africa: the Northern Corridor, the Lobito Corridor and the Abidjan–Lagos Corridor.   

Project aims

• Map relevant policies, investment plans and key stakeholders across the corridor, and provide tailored recommendations to strengthen policy and investment coherence.

• Facilitate dialogue between policymakers, financiers and businesses to unlock funding (including blended finance) for sustainable food, climate and trade initiatives, along with bankable projects.

Why this matters

Along the three selected corridors, the initiative also focuses on agrologistics investments that can enhance food security, reduce post-harvest losses, and boost regional trade in nutritious, climate-resilient products. 

African trade corridors can serve as powerful catalysts for investment that advances agricultural modernisation, food security, and climate resilience — provided there is:

• A shift from siloed approaches to integrated, cross-sectoral policymaking and investment planning;

• Blended-finance instruments and coordinated funding streams targeted at food–climate value chains;

• Inclusive multi-stakeholder platforms to ensure coherence, ownership, and accountability;

• Corridor authorities with explicit mandates on food and climate, and effective implementation mechanisms