TAAT to highlight food systems transformation initiatives at African food summit 2024

Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) will participate in the Africa Food Systems Summit (AFS) in Kigali, Rwanda, gathering agriculture leaders, policymakers, and innovators. TAAT will host two events: “Partnership for Data-Driven Agrifood Transformation” and “Food Systems Transformation: Emerging Insights.” It will also co-host a session with the African Development Bank and the U.S. State Department on advancing African food systems through TAAT and the Adapted Crops and Soils Vision (VACS).
TAAT, in partnership with the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA), will launch the African Cereal and Legume Breeding Consortium, engaging leaders from governments, seed companies, and private sector stakeholders. Geoffrey Nsofon, TAAT’s Private Sector Specialist, emphasized that this event will improve access to certified seeds across Africa.
Launched in 2018 as part of the African Development Bank’s Feed Africa strategy, TAAT scales modern agricultural technologies to 40 million farmers, focusing on youth and women in low-income areas. It has already aided over 12 million farmers by distributing improved crop varieties, boosting food production by 25 million tons. The AFS Summit is an annual forum to foster investments and partnerships in Africa’s agricultural sector.
Source: Vanguard

Our Review
The participation of Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) in the upcoming Africa Food Systems Summit (AFS) is a promising development for the agricultural value chain in Africa. This event will serve as a significant opportunity for stakeholders to collaborate on innovative solutions that can drive the continent’s food systems transformation.
TAAT’s role in hosting high-level sessions and partnering with key organizations like the African Development Bank and the African Seed Trade Association underscores its commitment to enhancing agricultural productivity across Africa. The focus on data-driven agriculture and the introduction of initiatives like the African Cereal and Legume Breeding Consortium will provide valuable insights and foster partnerships that can lead to more sustainable and resilient food systems.
The scaling of modern agricultural technologies by TAAT, including heat-tolerant and drought-resistant crop varieties, has already positively impacted millions of farmers, boosting food production and ensuring food security. This summit will likely accelerate these efforts, offering a platform to further integrate these technologies into national agricultural strategies.
For agribusiness stakeholders, the outcomes of this summit will be critical in making informed decisions and fostering growth across the agricultural value chain.