Dakar, Senegal — At the 2025 Africa Food Systems Forum, Heifer International issued a powerful call to action: governments, donors, investors, and development partners must deepen their commitment to local partnerships if Africa is to unlock the full potential of its agricultural sector.

Operating across 19 countries—including several in Africa—Heifer International emphasized that collaboration between smallholder farmers, youth innovators, cooperatives, and the private sector is essential to building resilient food systems and achieving lasting rural prosperity.

Despite agriculture employing nearly two-thirds of Africa’s workforce, it receives less than 4% of commercial lending. The African Development Bank estimates an annual financing gap of $80 billion, disproportionately affecting smallholder farmers and agri-SMEs who produce up to 70% of the continent’s food. These producers face steep barriers: limited access to credit, poor infrastructure, and high borrowing costs.

Heifer International argues that bridging this gap requires more than just capital—it demands smarter, farmer-centered partnerships. Grants and philanthropic funding remain vital, but their impact multiplies when aligned with local realities and innovation ecosystems. Flexible funding, in particular, enables young enterprises to test ideas, validate models, and connect with markets.

“The future of African agriculture will be built on strong partnerships and funding that helps innovations move from ideas to scale,” 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 showcased its AYuTe NextGen initiative—short for Agriculture, Youth, and Technology Next Generation—as a blueprint for impact. This program identifies and scales agri-tech innovations led by young Africans, tackling challenges faced by smallholder farmers head-on.

• In Nigeria, a partnership with Hello Tractor has enabled over 20,000 farmers to access affordable mechanization services, improving planting and harvesting timelines.
• Uganda, youth-led startups supported by AYuTe NextGen have expanded mobile-based livestock health and crop advisory services, attracting private investment.

• In Kenya and Rwanda, collaborations with dairy cooperatives have cut milk spoilage by up to 30%, boosting farmer incomes and making the sector more attractive to buyers and processors.

Adesuwa Ifedi, Heifer’s Senior Vice President for Africa Programs, underscored the importance of empowering local actors:

“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. Above all, partnerships rooted in local realities create the trust and resilience needed for long-term growth.”

This inclusive approach also addresses systemic barriers faced by women and youth—who together make up a significant portion of Africa’s agricultural workforce. With a median age of just 19, Africa’s future hinges on engaging its young population. Yet access to land, finance, and markets remains elusive for many.

Heifer is working with national governments to ensure that agricultural development reaches those often left behind. By linking youth-led enterprises and women farmers to cooperatives, and designing inclusive partnerships, the organization is helping translate policy into action.

Regional frameworks like the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) call for over $100 billion in agrifood investment—with at least 30% earmarked for women and youth. Heifer’s work shows how these targets can be met through community-led innovation.

Carolyne Mwangi, CEO of Kenya-based Kimplanter Seedlings and Nurseries and a recent AYuTe NextGen winner, captured the spirit of the movement:

“Across Africa, young entrepreneurs are delivering solutions—from mechanization services to cold-chain logistics. What they need are partners who understand farming realities and who can connect them to markets. This is how resilience and growth are built.”

Heifer concluded that lasting change in African agriculture will come not from fragmented, short-term interventions, but from systems that unite farmers, governments, investors, and development partners in a shared mission.