Former Nigerian President and African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) Goodwill Ambassador, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, has called on African leaders to move beyond agricultural declarations and commitments and focus on delivering measurable results that improve productivity, strengthen food security, create jobs and drive economic prosperity.

Jonathan made the remarks at the AATF Investors Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, held on the sidelines of the African Food Systems Forum, which brought together more than 5,000 participants from over 50 countries under the theme, “Investing in Africa’s Agri-Food Systems.”

Speaking during a youth-focused session, “Igniting Youth Food Systems Leadership,” Jonathan urged governments and investors to create stronger incentives for young Africans to participate in agriculture, agribusiness and food-system innovation. He stressed that Africa’s large and growing youth population represents an important opportunity for transforming the continent’s agricultural sector.

According to Jonathan, three elements are critical to achieving meaningful agricultural transformation: proven technologies that can increase productivity and resilience, patient capital capable of supporting long-term investment, and commercialisation at scale that connects innovations with farmers and markets.

He argued that agriculture must be placed at the centre of Africa’s development agenda because of its links to food security, industrialisation, employment, climate resilience and rural economic growth. While African countries have adopted major continental frameworks, including the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme and the Malabo Declaration, he said the greater challenge is translating these commitments into investments, policies and programmes that reach farmers.

Africa’s agricultural sector continues to face significant pressures from climate shocks, population growth, limited market access, inadequate storage and processing infrastructure, and a shortage of economic opportunities for young people. Jonathan said addressing these challenges requires stronger cooperation between governments, research institutions, private companies, farmer organisations, development partners, donors and investors.

He also emphasised the importance of moving agricultural technologies beyond laboratories and pilot projects. Innovations, he said, must be deployed at scale so that farmers can access technologies capable of improving yields, strengthening resilience and increasing incomes.

Reflecting on his experience in government, Jonathan said investment in agriculture can generate employment, raise household incomes and strengthen national food security. He noted that this experience was among the reasons he accepted his role as an AATF Goodwill Ambassador, highlighting the organisation’s two decades of work in agricultural technology, policy and regulatory development.

Jonathan called on investors and development partners to become long-term partners in Africa’s agricultural transformation rather than simply participants in individual programmes. He urged stakeholders to support AATF’s ambitions for the next five to ten years, stressing that neither the scaling of proven technologies nor the development of next-generation agricultural solutions can succeed without sufficient capital and committed partners.

The former president said the Kigali investor forum should serve as a starting point for sustained partnerships capable of mobilising investment and accelerating the delivery of agricultural solutions across Africa.

With the continent facing interconnected challenges around food security, climate change, population growth and youth employment, Jonathan’s message was clear: Africa now needs to move from agricultural declarations to implementation. Turning commitments into practical investments, technologies and commercial opportunities will be essential to building more productive food systems and making agriculture a central engine of Africa’s economic transformation.