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The 12th Africa Network of Agricultural Policy Research Institutes Stakeholders Conference took place from 3 to 6 November in Kigali, Rwanda, hosted by the Economic Policy Research Network. The event brought together policymakers, researchers, development partners, private sector leaders to reflect on Africa’s food systems in a rapidly changing global environment and to co-create pathways for resilient and inclusive transformation.
The programme opened on 3 November with two pre-conference sessions. The first focused on the Africa Agriculture Adaptation Atlas, bringing together developers and users of the platform to explore how it serves as a vital source of climate information. The second pre-conference session was held in partnership with the World Bank and centred on Jobs and the Agrifood System. It convened experts, policymakers and researchers to explore evidence-based pathways for harnessing the agrifood system to drive inclusive transformation. Through keynote presentations, technical panels and rich synthesis discussions, participants examined the latest research, identified major evidence gaps and proposed recommendations that can help governments, donors and the private sector leverage the agrifood system for job creation.
From 4 to 6 November, the main conference unfolded through a diverse collection of sessions. The opening plenary encouraged forward-looking reflection on how African countries can withstand sustained global turbulence while positioning their food systems for competitive and inclusive growth. This was followed by a session on policy coherence and CAADP 3.0, which emphasised the need to translate continental commitments into national actions that deliver resilience and sustainability.
The official opening ceremony welcomed distinguished guests including Dr Telesphore Ndabamenye, Rwanda’s Minister of State for Agriculture and Animal Resources, whose presence underscored the country’s leadership in agricultural transformation. Other sessions examined priority value chains in Ghana and Zambia, explored the growing relevance of the Africa Agriculture Adaptation Atlas and highlighted opportunities to accelerate the domestication of the African Fertiliser and Soil Health Action Plan.
A dedicated session with the FAO and ANAPRI demonstrated how systems thinking and foresight can support countries to design coherent and future-ready food system strategies. The conference closed with an energising discussion on partnerships, creating space for ANAPRI and its collaborators to outline how they will coordinate efforts across 2026 and beyond. During this session, ANAPRI signed three strategic Memoranda of Understanding with the Africa Fertiliser Industry Development Association (AFIDA), AKADEMIYA2063 and the Sustainable Agriculture Foundation Africa. These agreements reflect a shared ambition to strengthen evidence systems, deepen collaboration and advance impactful policy engagement.
The success of this year’s conference was made possible through the support of our funders, dedication of our partners, and the commitment of our speakers, facilitators, rapporteurs and the wider ANAPRI network. Thank you for contributing to this collective achievement. You can watch the recorded sessions on our YouTube channel, and you are welcome to share your feedback via https://www.anapri.net/2025conferencepcsurvey.