For decades, one of the biggest obstacles preventing African agriculture from reaching its full potential has been access to affordable finance. Despite contributing nearly 17% of the continent’s GDP and employing more than half of Africa’s workforce, agriculture continues to receive only a fraction of commercial lending, limiting investment in productivity, technology and expansion. Financial ...

Africa’s agricultural sector has long been recognised as the backbone of the continent’s economy, yet it remains one of the most underfunded industries despite employing more than half of Africa’s workforce and contributing around 17% to the continent’s gross domestic product (GDP). According to the World Bank, only about one percent of bank lending across ...

Kenya has launched an ambitious KES1.081 trillion (approximately Sh21 trillion) National Agri-food Systems Investment Plan (NASIP) for 2026–2030, positioning itself to attract greater agricultural investment while accelerating food systems transformation across East Africa. The initiative is expected to intensify regional competition for agribusiness capital as neighbouring countries seek to strengthen their own agricultural sectors. The ...

AFC acted as Co-Mandated Lead Arranger and joint financier on the transaction, marking its inaugural sovereign investment in Togo. LOMÉ, Togo, June 24, 2026/ –&nbspAfrica Finance Corporation (AFC) (www.AfricaFC.org), the continent’s infrastructure solutions provider, has arranged a EUR 108.3 million sovereign-backed financing facility for the Government of the Republic of Togo to support food security ...

Africa’s agricultural sector is entering a period of profound transformation, driven by climate change, market volatility and growing demand for food production. As these pressures intensify, traditional approaches to agricultural financing are increasingly proving inadequate, prompting calls for more innovative and resilient funding models. The issue has gained prominence across Southern Africa, where farmers, agribusinesses ...

Ecobank Group and AGRA have entered into a strategic partnership aimed at unlocking agricultural finance, strengthening agribusiness value chains, and accelerating inclusive growth across Africa’s food systems. The two organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding during the Africa Forward Summit held in Nairobi on 11 May 2026, establishing a framework to support agribusinesses, cooperatives, farmer ...

Africa’s agriculture sector holds enormous promise as an engine for economic transformation, yet recent performance falls short of that potential. Despite the continent’s vast arable land and the central role farming plays in millions of livelihoods, agricultural contribution to GDP growth has stagnated. Weather extremes have played a part, but deeper issues — limited investment ...

Brandon Moss,  Africa’s agricultural sector stands at a defining moment. With a projected gross production value of $189.07 billion in 2025, the continent’s farming economy is both vast and vital. Yet beneath this promise lies a complex web of structural, environmental, and financial challenges that threaten to stall progress. If agriculture is to fulfill its ...

Leading global and African financial experts have issued a resounding call to align financial structures with the needs of smallholder farmers. Speaking at a two-day conference on financing Africa’s smallholder farmers in Nairobi, Kenya, the experts underscored the crucial role of government intervention in creating an enabling environment for financial institutions to expand agricultural lending. ...

If heating continues, food shortages, price spikes, hunger and malnutrition are almost certain By SOIPAN TUYA What you need to know: In order to catalyse climate action, especially for the agriculture sector, a mainstreaming approach is crucial. Enabling sector actors to integrate a climate lens in their mandate areas and routine work ensures that there is ...