AGRA champions sustainable business models at Davos
AGRA, a catalyst for agricultural sector development across Africa, is making a call for sustainable business models, partnerships, and transformative investments at the 54th edition of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The week-long event, themed ‘Rebuilding Trust’ from January 15th to 19th, offers a vital platform to focus on core principles fostering trust, including transparency, consistency, and accountability.
A dedicated SDG zone has been integrated into the forum, serving as a hub for organizations to accelerate impactful change and contribute to achieving the UN’s sustainable goals.
This space showcases data, knowledge, and best practices related to the SDGs, empowering participants to understand their role in driving positive change during the UN’s Decade of Change.
AGRA took center stage at the SDG tent on Tuesday, January 16th, 2024, from 12:30 to 14:00, hosting a special event that highlighted the trailblazers of transformation and how sustainable business models contribute to Africa’s climate agenda.
The session delved into business models, partnerships, and investments shaping the nexus of Africa’s food systems, climate action, and job creation.
Read also: AGRA’s new plan to improve Kenya’s food security, farmer incomes
Public-private sector collaboration
Notable participants included Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, Tony Blair, Executive Chairman of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, and Francis Gatare, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board. The conversation also featured global industry leaders such as Yara International, Bayer Foundation, GAIN, and SNV.
Dr. Agnes Kalibata, President of AGRA, stressed the urgency of collaborating with public and private sector actors to scale up innovative business models and partnerships addressing the current challenges of climate and food insecurity.
“Our strategic plan aims to catalyze the growth of sustainable food systems in Africa by influencing and leveraging partners to build a robust enabling environment where the private sector thrives, and smallholders are empowered to produce sufficient and healthy food while building resilience and managing the effects of climate change,” said Dr. Kalibata. She added, “We are also keen to tackle the systemic constraints in access to finance and market and trade institutions to build strong agri-food markets and trade at the domestic, regional, and continental levels.”
