A landmark regional meeting in Eastern Africa has charted a comprehensive roadmap to accelerate the transformation of agrifood systems in the region. Participants, including national food systems conveners and FAO focal points from countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, have agreed on strategies to expedite actions aimed at meeting national commitments by 2030.
In a keynote address delivered by Yergalem Beraki, the acting FAO Representative in Uganda, and Farayi Zimudzi, the FAO Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa, the urgency of the situation was underscored. Zimudzi highlighted that the subregion is a global hunger hotspot, with one in four people in Eastern Africa going hungry. She pointed out that nearly 130 million people, or 26 percent of the population, are affected. The speakers emphasized the need for transformative and climate-resilient solutions to ensure the availability and accessibility of safe and nutritious food, particularly as the region’s population is projected to grow from 522 million in 2026 to 855 million by 2050.
Dr. Olivier Kamana, the Permanent Secretary of Rwanda’s Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), emphasized the importance of addressing persistent challenges, including climate change, limited land availability, soil fertility degradation, and poor post-harvest management. He advocated for coordinated actions, investment in research and innovation, and strong collaboration between various stakeholders.
Mohamed Aw — Dahir, the FAO Representative in Rwanda, welcomed participants and emphasized the critical role of transforming food systems in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. However, he acknowledged the challenges in translating commitments into action, noting gaps in institutional coordination, policy alignment, financing, and technical capacity. He emphasized the need for stronger collaboration, knowledge exchange, and accelerated implementation.
The regional workshop, organized by the FAO Subregional Office for Eastern Africa, was held from 27 to 28 March 2026. It provided a platform for countries to review progress and challenges, share lessons and best practices, and agree on priority actions to fast-track implementation to 2030. The workshop was part of the project “Strengthening Institutions and Systems to Accelerate Agrifood Transformation in Eastern Africa,” which aims to close implementation gaps and strengthen institutional capacity to deliver on national food systems commitments.
