Key Points
- NADF calls for coordinated public, private and concessional financing for agriculture.
- Agency says fragmented capital and weak project pipelines limit investment.
- It wants agricultural funding assessed by outcomes for farmers and food systems.
Main Story
The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) has called for a new financial architecture to mobilise investment and accelerate the transformation of Africa’s food systems.
NADF Executive Secretary, Mohammed Ibrahim, made the call at a Policy and State Capability Thematic Plenary at the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) in Kigali, Rwanda.
The plenary was themed “Aligning Investment to Fast-Track CAADP Objectives.”
Ibrahim said African countries needed financing systems capable of coordinating public, private and concessional capital, aligning investment with national priorities and reducing risks associated with agricultural projects.
He said the challenge was not simply a shortage of money but the fragmentation of available resources and the absence of structures capable of directing capital towards viable agricultural opportunities.
“Africa’s agricultural financing challenge is not only about the availability of capital, but also the fragmentation of existing resources and the absence of effective structures to coordinate investments,” he said.
According to Ibrahim, NADF was identifying national priorities, developing bankable investment opportunities and using public and concessional resources to attract additional financing.
He said public funds should be used to “crowd in, not crowd out” private investment, adding that a shortage of commercially viable agricultural projects remained a major barrier to mobilising private capital.
The Issues
Ibrahim said agricultural financing needed to move beyond conventional funding towards structured systems that could connect available capital with bankable projects.
He also stressed the importance of reliable data and accountability in determining where agricultural investments should be directed and whether they were producing measurable results.
“First of all, we are strengthening data for investment decisions. No investment decision is made without looking at the data and what it shows,” he said.
Rather than measuring success by the amount of money spent, Ibrahim said agricultural interventions should be assessed by their effect on farmers and the wider food system.
What’s Being Said
“We want to see that we are coordinating financial capital because there is sometimes a problem of capital availability, but also fragmentation of capital; that lack of a structure.” – Mohammed Ibrahim, NADF Executive Secretary.
“We are pushing for a transition towards accountability for outcomes. So, what has that money changed on the ground?” – Mohammed Ibrahim, NADF Executive Secretary.
“Africa’s agricultural financing challenge is not only about the availability of capital, but also the fragmentation of existing resources and the absence of effective structures to coordinate investments.” – Mohammed Ibrahim, NADF Executive Secretary.
What’s Next
NADF plans to strengthen data systems for investment decisions and develop bankable opportunities capable of attracting additional financing.
Ibrahim also called for independent monitoring, evaluation and learning systems to determine which agricultural interventions are effective, identify gaps and provide evidence for scaling.
He said outcomes should include improved yields, farmer profitability, participation in value chains, resilience and livelihoods.
Ana Loboguerrero, Director of Adaptive and Equitable Food Systems at the Gates Foundation, said philanthropic capital could provide patient and higher-risk financing for innovative agricultural solutions before commercial investors entered.
She said such financing could generate evidence, strengthen public-sector capacity and reduce risks, making agricultural projects more attractive to commercial investors.
Bottom Line
NADF says Africa needs a more coordinated financing architecture to turn available capital into productive agricultural investment. The proposed approach would use public and concessional funds to reduce risks and attract private capital while measuring success by tangible outcomes for farmers.
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