(AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK) – The Pan African Farmers Organization (Pan African Farmers’ Organization, PAFO) and the African Development Bank are strengthening their collaboration to improve support for smallholder farmers in Africa. A delegation led by the President of PAFO, Ibrahima Coulibaly, was at the Bank’s headquarters on December 13, 2024 to advance the implementation of the memorandum of understanding signed in October 2023.
Martin Fregene, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Agro-Industry, reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to this partnership, highlighting its investments in agriculture, which have benefited more than 14 million producers through initiatives that provide inputs and improve access to markets. He acknowledged that challenges persist in the sector and welcomed ideas from civil society organizations like PAFO to strengthen the Bank’s impact.
Mr. Coulibaly presented the mission and strategic priorities of PAFO, aimed at empowering smallholder farmers and defending their rights, highlighting the need for increased strategic support from the Bank to address the challenges of agriculture, which has the potential to solve 80% of the continent’s problems.
The meeting resulted in planning to jointly organize a high-level conference on smallholder finance in the second quarter 2025. This event will bring together stakeholders to discuss the financial needs of smallholder farmers and explore sustainable solutions to improve their livelihoods. Furthermore, both parties agreed to develop a comprehensive action plan focused on capacity building, technology integration and access to finance, particularly for women and young farmers.
« The Bank’s Feed Africa strategy is an important step towards transforming Africa’s agricultural sector, and we are delighted to work with the Bank to help shape this vision, said Mr. Coulibaly. Through this partnership, we are committed to helping farmers, especially women and youth, get the support and resources they need to succeed.»
This partnership aligns with the Bank’s operational priorities, the “High 5s”, in particular the “Feed Africa” priority, and builds on its commitment to foster collaboration with civil society organizations. The Bank recognizes the crucial role of these organizations in promoting sustainable development.
About the Pan African Farmers Organization (PAFO):
A continental platform representing dozens of smallholder farmers’ organizations which bring together tens of millions of women and men from around fifty African countries, PAFO has five regional networks of farmers in Africa: the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF), the Regional Platform of Farmers’ Organizations in Central Africa (PROPAC), the Network of Farmers’ and Producers’ Organizations of West Africa (ROPPA), the Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU), the Maghreb and North African Farmers’ Union (UMNAGRI). Its headquarters is based in Kigali, Rwanda.
