Awaza, Turkmenistan | 5-8 August, 2025

Thematic focus and expected outcome of side event

Despite its vast agricultural potential, Africa remains the most food-import-dependent region in the world. Main causes of the underperformance of the agriculture sector in Africa include low productivity, limited use of modern technologies, poor infrastructure, lack of regional integration and inadequate investment and finance.

The main objective of this event is to examine challenges and opportunities to develop sustainable food systems that enhance food and nutrition security in African LLDCs, underscoring in particular:

• The potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to catalyse agricultural production and trade by reducing trade barriers and promoting regional value chains.
• The importance of public-private partnerships and innovative financing solutions to increase investments and access to finance for value chain actors.

The meeting is expected to:

• Explore concrete AfCFTA instruments and mechanisms that can serve as catalysts to drive agribusiness MSME development and promote opportunities for farmers, women, and youth in food system value chains.
• Examine innovative mechanisms to finance sustainable food systems actors and infrastructure (e.g. blended finance, digital finance and greater investments by DFIs, NDBs).
• Highlight importance of nature-positive and climate-resilient infrastructure and SMEs.
• Identify capacities needed to develop robust pipelines of investment-ready projects and businesses.

Expected outcomes: actionable strategies and initiatives identified, new partnerships catalyzed, potential investment opportunities identified, and policy recommendations generated for financing and supporting sustainable food systems in African LLDCs.

Contribution to LLDC3 and implementation of the new Programme of Action

The side event aligns closely with the overarching objective of LLDC3 by fostering partnerships, promoting financing solutions and showcasing impactful initiatives for sustainable development in LLDCs.

The event will contribute to Priority Area 1 of the draft PoA on Structural Transformation, Priority 2 on Trade, Trade Facilitation and Regional Integration, Priority 4 on strengthening adaptive capacity and resilience to climate change, and Priority Area 5 on Means of Implementation, including scaling up innovative and blended financing.

The event will highlight UNCDF and partners unique roles in mobilizing investment flows towards resilient food systems in LLDCs and will showcase select new initiatives, including the UNCDF-WFP Rwanda BRIDGE Financing Facility for youth- and women-led businesses in food system value chains, and the Africa Adaptation Initiative Food Security Accelerator.

Agenda and speakers

Moderator: Dr. Salamat Ali, Senior Economist, Markets and Trade Division, FAO

Panel discussion:

• Minister, Government of Rwanda (TBC)
• Minister, Government of LLDC / LDC (TBC)
• Mr. Karen Vardanyan, Chief Financial Officer, UNCDF
• Mr. Escipion Joaquin Oliveira Gomez, Director, Division of Country Programmes, ITC
• Representative, UNECA (TBC)
• Mr. Wamkele Mene, AfCFTA Secretary General (TBC)
• Private sector representative [SME or financial institution] (TBC)