AFRACA Pre-Summit Convening: Advancing Regional Priorities at Africa Forward Summit

AFRACA convened member institutions, African Public Development Banks, development partners, and policy stakeholders in Nairobi on 11 May 2026, ahead of the Africa Forward Summit co-hosted by Kenya and France. The session was designed as both an orientation and a business meeting: participants reviewed the Joint Declaration framework, tested its alignment with institutional priorities, and gave strategic input toward an action plan for sustainable, resilient, and inclusive agricultural finance.

The declaration grounds the discussion in a clear financing problem: agriculture remains central to African economies and rural livelihoods, yet the sector faces an annual financing gap estimated at more than USD 90 billion. Smallholder and family farmers produce up to 80% of Africa's food, while women and youth continue to face structural barriers linked to collateral, land, care responsibilities, digital access, and irregular agricultural incomes.

The PDB presentation organized the declaration around three connected priorities: mobilizing capital at scale, de-risking agricultural investment through blended finance and guarantee mechanisms, and building resilient, inclusive systems. The commitments call for financing products adapted to agricultural cycles, targeted support for women-led agri-SMEs and farmer organizations, accessible digital financial services, and green or climate-linked instruments that can respond to rural realities rather than generic credit models.

The implementation roadmap gives AFRACA a practical coordination role after the declaration. It calls for a comprehensive action plan with clear targets and accountability indicators, regular monitoring and reporting, activation of the Agri-PDB Platform as a knowledge-sharing and alignment hub, and the establishment of a dedicated Public Development Banks Forum for Sustainable Agricultural Finance. The result is not only a signed declaration, but a pathway for institutions and partners to track progress, align technical assistance, and deepen commitments over time.