AGRA at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting

This year’s World Economic Forum Annual Meeting takes place during one of the most challenging years the world has seen for a long time. The COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and an impending global food crisis are reversing decades of progress. As in most times of crisis, the most vulnerable people are bearing the brunt. We are already seeing rising commodity prices in major markets in East and Southern Africa. In Kenya, this compounds the effect of lower harvests due to a drier season than expected. Meanwhile, local fertilizer prices continue to rise to levels above 2-3 times compared to same time last year – tripling in Malawi, Mali and Kenya. Whilst most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are keeping borders open, a few, such as Ghana, have imposed export bans. Africa will also feel the impact of India’s export ban.

Dr. Agnes Kalibata, president of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa and Rwanda’s former minister of agriculture, will join the Annual Meeting to champion the voice of African farmers and agribusinesses and discuss how the world can chart a path to greater resilience for African countries. She will focus on how African governments can continue investments in long term and sustainable growth sectors (irrigation, sustainable farming, etc.) to mitigate against future crises and shocks so we do not stumble from one crisis to the next

Media representatives are welcome to join the below listed public sessions where Dr. Kalibata will provide an African perspective on the food system crisis. Please do get in touch with us if you wish to arrange an interview or background conversation with Dr. Kalibata at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.  

Dr. Kalibata will speak at the following events:

8 Harvests to 2030: From Food Systems Commitments to Action for Africa (High-Level Dialogue) 

• Wednesday, 25 May 9:30 – 10:45 at WEF in Davos, SDG Tent (Earth)
• Link to register: 8 Harvests to 2030: Moving from Food Commitments to Action for Africa 

Leaders of organizations who have active food systems commitments and key stakeholders vital to delivery will discuss opportunities and challenges in implementation in support of SDGs and national pathways for food systems transformation. How do we further collaborate, and leverage coordinated action to achieve the scale needed to transform food systems by 2030? Speakers include Dr. Agnes Kalibata (President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa), Ndidi Nwuneli (Executive Chair, Sahel Consulting Agriculture & Nutrition), Jai Shroff (Global Chief Executive Officer UPL), Nigel Topping (High-Level Climate Action Champion, COP26 Climate Champions), and Wiebe Draijer (Chairman of the Managing Board Rabobank).

A leadership Call to Action to drive youth employment and agripreneurship in Africa

• Tuesday, 24th May 2022, 17:30–18:30, SDG Tent Café, Promenade 139, Davos
• Link to register: A leadership Call to Action to drive youth employment and agripreneurship in Africa

Farming remains the largest employer of youth, hence, there is an urgent need to make farming profitable for young people. Unlocking youth engagement and participation in agriculture will create an opportunity to resolve food systems challenges as well as open pathways for meaningful employment for African youth. This session explores how to create an enabling environment for youth to prosper in agriculture, fostering an ecosystem that will inspire the youth to view agriculture as an attractive and well-paying career engagement. Speakers include Dr. Agnes Kalibata (President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa), Ishmael Sunga (CEO, SACAU), Simon Winter (Executive Director, Syngenta Foundation), Nadi Albino (Deputy Director Partnerships, UNICEF). 

The AGRA delegation is championing the voice of Africa’s farmers and governments and stakeholders on food systems transformation and the youth agenda in the following sessions organized by partners:

Sunday May 22

• 20:00-22:00, Averting a Hurricane of Hunger and Meltdown of the Global Food System organised by Yara and WFP

Monday May 23

• 09:00 – 10:15 Food Action Alliance organised by WEF
• 15:30 – 17:00:  Key role of large-scale food fortification (LSFF) and its potential to improve human health, economic development & environmental sustainability organised by Endeva

Tuesday May 24 

• 20:00 – 22:00 True Value of Food High Level dinner organised by Rabobank and WBCSD
• 20:00-21:00 Putting Food on the Table in a World in Crisis organized by Bayer

Contact Details: Rebecca Weaver, Acting Head of Communications, rweaver@agra.org

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About AGRA

Founded in 2006, AGRA, is an African-led African-based organization that seeks to catalyze Agriculture Transformation in Africa. AGRA is focused on putting smallholder farmers at the center of the continent’s growing economy by transforming agriculture from a solitary struggle to survive into farming as a business that thrives. As the sector that employs the majority of Africa’s people, nearly all of them small-scale farmers, AGRA recognizes that developing smallholder agriculture into a productive, efficient, and sustainable system is essential to ensuring food security, lifting millions out of poverty, and driving equitable growth across the continent. www.agra.org