The African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) 2018 takes place in Kigali on September 5-8, and will take stock, evaluate actions, and learn from compelling evidence across the continent, presented by many of the most inspiring leaders turning agriculture into thriving enterprises. This year’s theme is: Lead. Measure. Grow. – Enabling new pathways to turn smallholders into future agribusinesses.

Africa’s future will depend on committed and innovative leadership that is prepared for regular and rigorous measures to drive the growth required for agricultural transformation.

AGRF 2018 has dedicated political and policy leadership from African governments. The event will showcase the leadership of 3 – 5 Heads of State and 15+ ministers. They will serve as champions for the rest of the continent with their insights on lessons learned and progress made in agricultural transformation efforts around Africa.

Attendees will hear first hand from global leaders and distinguished personalities including H.E Paul Kagame, Al Gore, Aliko Dangote, Carlos Lopes, Tony Blair, Howard Buffett, Strive Masiyiwa, Issad Rebrab and Sunny Verhese.

Future leaders in agriculture will also have a platform to discuss and plot the way forward – and there is a dedicated programme that includes the voice of the youth in the agricultural future of Africa.

AGRF 2018 Theme

This year’s theme is: “Lead. Measure. Grow. – Enabling new pathways to turn smallholders into future agribusinesses”. Africa has great aspirations for the future. These are possible, but will require Africa’s agricultural sector and food systems to more rapidly and sustainably deliver incomes, food security, nutrition, and wider economic opportunities. Business and progress as usual is not enough for our aspirations; we must do more and do it more successfully.

Expected Outcomes

1. Follow up on the 2016 and 2017 commitments: Showcasing progress made on commitments of the last two years to advance political and economic contributions to African Agriculture while aligning what is needed to support the Malabo Declaration and the SDGs.
2. Political and Policy Leadership from African governments: Showcasing leadership of 3-5 African Heads of State and 15+ ministers, particularly the progress made and the lessons learned from their agricultural transformation efforts, so that they serve as champions for the rest of the continent.
3. Political and financial support from development partners and the private sector: In the spirit of the Seize the Moment campaign the last two years, we expect to hear several hundreds of millions of dollars in programs representing how leaders are coming through on their commitments from 2016 and 2017, as well as a set of new financial commitments from partners to continue supporting African agricultural priorities, scaling innovative and effective ideas and commodity value chains.
4. New business deals: We expect several announcements of new business contracts between the private sector, small and medium enterprises, and communities of smallholder farmers, especially in commodity value chains of interest to smallholder farmers.
5. Announcement of the 2018 Africa Food Prize Winner: Recognition of this year’s laureate, who will be selected by an Independent Prize Committee chaired by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo who looks forward to AGRF hosted in Kigali. The Prize will recognize an extraordinary individual whose outstanding contribution to African agriculture in recent years is forging a new era of food security and economic opportunity for all Africans.
6. The Kigali Declaration: A powerful multi-sectoral statement that captures this moment, progress, and commitments for the future and places H.E. President Kagame and Rwanda’s leadership at the heart of progress in Africa’s continental agenda for agriculture over the next decade.