GAIN and AGRA to partner for food and nutrition security

GAIN and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) are to team up to work to advance their shared vision of creating sustainable food systems in Africa.

Established in 2006, AGRA is an African-led, Africa-based and farmer-centred institution working to put smallholder farmers at the center of the continent’s growing economy by transforming their farming from a solitary struggle to survive to a business that thrives.

GAIN Executive Director, Lawrence Haddad and AGRA President, Dr Agnes Kalibata signed the Memorandum of Understanding paving the way for the partnership at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Dr Agnes Kalibta, AGRA President, and Lawrence Haddad, GAIN Executive Director, sign the Memorandum of Understanding at the 2019 World Economic Forum in Davos. © GAIN

“At AGRA we are working to improve food security increase incomes of 30 million farming households in the 11 countries that we work in” said Dr Kalibata. “GAIN is a leading institution in addressing nutrition and supporting the African agri-food sector to rise to the nutrition challenge of a growing and urbanising Africa and has a track record in addressing the challenges on the demand side of our food markets. I am excited to formalise our working relationship that will see continue using a food systems approach to strengthen African value chains from farm to fork”.

The partnership will see the two institutions mobilise investments opportunities in agri-businesses and SMEs by establishing matchmaking platforms for the agribusinesses and investors. This will, for instance, include the deal room at the annual Africa Green Revolution Forum (AGRF). Through this partnership, AGRA and GAIN will seek to design sessions that showcase the links between agriculture and safe, nutritious foods.

I am excited to formalise our working relationship that will see continue using a food systems approach to strengthen African value chains from farm to fork

Dr Agnes Kalibata, President, AGRA

It will also strengthen linkages between smallholder farmers, especially those involved in AGRA’s value chain consortia across Africa, and African agri-food companies. This will create a reliable market for the farmers thereby increasing their incomes and ensure that the agri-businesses have a regular supply of quality raw material.

“We are excited to be partnering with AGRA, which is a leading African organisation. Africa’s governments have prioritized improved nutrition as critical to the growth and development of the continent” said Lawrence Haddad, “Through this agreement we will be working together to link Africa’s farmers and its entrepreneurs to provide better access to affordable, safe and nutritious diets for all its people”.