African Food-System Leaders Back Market-Led Model to Scale Agricultural Investment

African agriculture and food-system leaders have voiced support for a market-led model designed to scale up agricultural investments across the continent. According to discussions on continental food systems, African agriculture currently does not face a shortage of promising development projects. Instead, the primary and more difficult challenge lies in transforming these initial initiatives into commercially viable businesses. Leaders emphasized that many projects struggle to survive once short-term grants, pilot funding, and initial development aid come to an end. The proposed market-led approach aims to ensure long-term commercial sustainability for agricultural ventures. By creating self-sustaining business models, the sector hopes to attract larger investments and secure lasting food security. This strategy marks a shift toward market-based solutions for long-term agricultural growth in Africa.