Stronger local partnerships can unlock Africa’s agricultural potential

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Heifer International has called for deeper and stronger local partnerships to accelerate agricultural transformation across Africa, stressing that collaborative action is key to building resilient food systems and lasting rural prosperity.

The appeal was made during the 2025 Africa Food Systems Forum, held from September 1–5 in Dakar, Senegal. The organisation emphasised that governments, donors, investors, and development partners must work more closely with smallholder farmers, youth innovators, cooperatives, and the private sector to unlock agriculture’s potential.

Agriculture employs nearly two-thirds of Africa’s workforce but receives less than 4 percent of commercial lending. The African Development Bank estimates an $80 billion annual financing gap. Smallholder farmers and agri-SMEs—who produce up to 70 percent of the continent’s food—continue to face limited access to credit, high borrowing costs, and weak infrastructure.

“Closing this gap requires not just new resources, but smarter partnerships that put farmers at the centre,” said Surita Sandosham, President and CEO of Heifer International. “Philanthropic support is essential, and by working alongside governments, cooperatives, and the private sector, we can ensure that these funds go further in strengthening local food systems.”

Heifer highlighted its AYuTe NextGen (Agriculture, Youth, and Technology Next Generation) initiative as an example of how partnerships are already reshaping Africa’s agriculture. The program identifies, supports, and scales agri-tech innovations that directly address smallholder farmer challenges.

In Nigeria, Heifer’s partnership with Hello Tractor has enabled more than 20,000 farmers to access affordable mechanisation services, helping them plant and harvest on time.

In Uganda, youth-led start-ups supported through AYuTe NextGen have expanded mobile-based livestock health and crop advisory services, drawing in private investment.

In Kenya and Rwanda, partnerships with dairy cooperatives have reduced milk spoilage by up to 30 percent, boosting farmer incomes and strengthening value chains.

“Farmers must be treated as business partners, young innovators need opportunities to prove their models, and finance must be structured in ways that share risk fairly,” said Adesuwa Ifedi, Senior Vice President for Africa Programs at Heifer International. “Above all, partnerships rooted in local realities create the trust and resilience needed for long-term growth.”

Women and youth at the centre

Heifer also underlined the need to break barriers faced by women and youth, who make up a large share of Africa’s agricultural workforce but often lack access to land, finance, and markets. With Africa’s median age at 19 and women comprising nearly half of its farmers, inclusive partnerships are essential.

Heifer’s approach aligns with regional strategies such as the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), which calls for more than $100 billion in agrifood investment, with at least 30 percent targeted at women and youth.

“Across Africa, young entrepreneurs are delivering solutions, from mechanisation services to cold-chain logistics,” said Carolyne Mwangi, CEO of Kenya-based Kimplanter Seedlings and Nurseries and an AYuTe NextGen awardee. “What they need are partners who understand farming realities and can connect them to markets. This is how resilience and growth are built.”

Heifer concluded that lasting agricultural transformation requires moving beyond fragmented, short-term interventions. Instead, Africa must build systems where farmers, governments, investors, and development actors work together for mutual benefit.

With stronger local partnerships and well-designed support, the organisation said, smallholder farmers can raise incomes, investors can find viable opportunities, and African nations can enhance food security for their growing populations.