African Food Fellowship

28/05/2025

recently released new data and insights on the food and agriculture system!

The findings assess global progress in food and agriculture against key climate, biodiversity and equity targets, highlighting where action needs to urgently accelerate to nutritiously feed 10 billion people, limit warming, and minimize biodiversity loss.

Although progress is lagging across the board, there is still time to get on track. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4iOv0hG

26/05/2025

A great Monday to you!

"Good leadership is (needed) everywhere, in all dimensions of life. But, is there something special or unique about leading within food systems? What sets food systems leadership apart from other spaces of leadership? Exploring this will help us to live, support and encourage better food systems leadership. Ultimately, it will help us be better food systems leaders." African Food Fellowship Director, Joost Guijt states.

In this article, Joost invites you to explore this with him. He highlights the unique characteristics that food systems leadership bears - nurturing, relationships, identity and daily practice. Does this resonate? Take a moment to reflect as you read through this article https://africanfoodfellowship.org/so-what-makes-leadership-in-food-systems-special/

22/05/2025

The curtains today come down on the Financing Agri-Food Systems Sustainability Summit held in Nairobi since Tuesday.

The Summit presented a timely platform for stakeholders to explore strategies for financing Africa’s food systems going into the future.

The African Food Fellowship was represented by Kenya Food Fellows who enriched discussions centred on:
✅ Policy Frameworks to support food systems financing in Africa
✅ Assessing the progress made in the redesign of fertiliser subsidy models
✅ Harnessing partnerships to steer the uptake of agriculture insurance and;
✅ The power of inclusion - how to make smallholder farmers bankable

Kenya Country Lead, Brenda Mareri also called on food systems actors to embrace food systems thinking in their leadership in order to transform our food systems.

Such gatherings and discussions remain pertinent as we collectively work towards transforming our to be healthy, inclusive and sustainable.

20/05/2025

The 2025 Summit on Financing Agri-Food Systems Sustainably (FINAS) kicks off today at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.

The 3-day summit themed “Taking Ownership: Rethinking Sustainable Financing for Africa’s Food Systems” will delve into crucial aspects of transforming Africa’s agri-food systems addressing significant financing gap and fostering innovating solutions for resilient and inclusive agricultural growth on the continent.

These discussions will build upon key action areas identified during the FINAS 2024 dialogue that include:
✅ Inclusive finance
✅ Strengthening farmer cooperatives
✅ Policy and Regulatory Environments
✅ De-risking Investments
✅ Leveraging Technology and Digitisation
✅ Promoting Impactful Partnerships

Learn more about the Summit on this article

Kenya will host the 2025 Summit on Financing Agri-Food Systems Sustainably (FINAS) from next Tuesday at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC), Nairobi.

16/05/2025

Nutritiously feeding the world’s growing population in a changing climate — while also limiting warming and conserving biodiversity — will require drastic changes to the way food is produced and consumed.

New data launched from identifies three critical shifts needed to transform the food and agriculture system:

✅ Increase food production sustainably without expanding agricultural land
✅ Reduce food loss and waste
✅ Adopt healthier, more sustainable diets

Explore the new data: https://bit.ly/4iOv0hG

09/05/2025

Fellow Joy Muya wants to live in a world where nobody goes to bed hungry.

She believes that Kenya’s persistent food insecurity is not always a result of shortfalls in production; most of the problem lies with how food is handled, distributed and consumed. That is why as some people suffer hunger and malnutrition, others, sometimes within the same neighbourhood, have surplus food that frequently ends up in landfills, contributing to food insecurity and greenhouse gas emissions.

In this interview, Joy tells us how she is using her legal training to right this disparity and create circularity in the Kenyan food system.

Profile Kenya FellowJoy MuyaRead Related StoryHow we are using data to boost food security in RwandaRead Related StoryForget the double burden of malnutrition, Kenya is facing a triple burden. This is how we can address itRead Spotlight17.04.2024Waste not, want not; using food surplus to address Ken...

07/05/2025

| collaboration |
Noun: the action of working with someone to produce something

Food System Actions are impossible without collaborations. They require food systems actors to identify their role, figure out who to work with, and how to work with them, in order to effect real change.

Radical collaboration requires trust and a common purpose that goes beyond individual gain. The African Food Fellowship provides a space where diverse Fellows interact and create lasting relationships across the food system, tapping into a network which is purpose driven and focused on inclusion, health and accountability.

Have a listen to this African Food Stories episode, Fellows, Mutuma Muriuku and Sarah Waceke take us through the delicate art of building collaborations.

Welcome to African Food Stories. This podcast is produced by the African Food Fellowship to tell stories about African food systems leaders. To kick us off, ...

06/05/2025

🗞️ In media

In today’s complex world, agri-food policies can and must be improved, but it will take a critical mass of African leaders at all levels to deliver the results our continent urgently needs.

As we lead up to the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) in September, this Op-Ed published by Capital FM, Joost Guijt (Director at the African Food Fellowship) and Alice Ruhweza (President, AGRA) make the case for strengthening and investing in collaborative leadership and implementation networks across Africa’s agri-food systems.

• The moment is now.
• The opportunity? For CAADP and all partners of the Kampala Declaration to back investment in the doer-leaders driving transformation from the ground up.

Read the full article here:

By Alice Ruhweza & Joost Guijt Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp The Kampala Declaration milestone for Africa’s food systems MAY 5 – How Africa’s food systems advance is a choice that is coming into focus with the launch of the African Union’s Strategy and Plan of Action for the Comp...

02/05/2025

A great new month to you!

We are looking back at the month of April with fond memories from the 2025 Kenya Network Gathering. The network gathering served as a living embodiment of these ethos; a space to learn, share, inspire and support one another.

A highlight of the gathering was the unveiling of a new fund designed to provide seed capital for promising Food System Actions (FSA). The fund aims to support Fellows in launching their initiatives while they seek additional funding. What’s makes this announcement even more exciting is that this fund will be spearheaded by Fellows who will define the qualifying projects and the selection guidelines.

We also had a fun experiential time exploring the power of storytelling in two dimensions. First, two Fellows gave testimonials about uncovering solutions, unlocking new support systems and fostering a deeper understanding of their food systems work through impact storytelling. Secondly, a live podcast recording driven by a group of Fellows demonstrated how conversations can spark action and progress.

The Network Gathering was more than just an event, it was a reaffirmation of the African Food Fellowship’s purpose to connect food systems leaders and equip them to create healthy, sustainable and inclusive food systems. Have a read

Profile Kenya FellowSylvia KuriaRead Profile Kenya FellowKelvin MuliRead Profile Kenya FellowPierra NyaruaiRead Profile Kenya FellowLeleti JassorRead Profile Kenya FellowLiesa BidaliRead News29.04.2025The Kenya Network Gathering 2025: Connection, Collaboration, and ImpactWith close to 50 Fellows in....

30/04/2025

It’s the final day to submit your application to join the 5th Cohort of the African Food Fellowship.

We are looking for mid-career professionals age between 27-50 years old, whose food systems work is focused on any of the impact areas outlined below:

Rwanda Impact Areas
✅ Healthy and Nutritious Food
✅ Climate Smart Agriculture
✅ Inclusive Markets and Trade

Kenya Impact Areas
✅ Horticulture for Inclusive Markets
✅ Blue Economy for Food
✅ Agri-finance

Once you join our Food Systems Leadership Programme (FSLP), you start your journey as a Fellow. This is a world-class 10-month programme delivered virtually by a faculty from Wageningen University & Research and Wasafiri Consulting.

The programme also features guest lecturers and Fellows from the Fellowship. You acquire shared language and tools to unpack food systems, analyse their complexity and identify a food systems action to work on.

Join the movement today and let's transform our food systems together! Link to apply https://africanfoodfellowship.org/application-cohort-5/

28/04/2025

It’s exactly two days to the deadline of the recruitment of the 5th Cohort of the African Food Fellowship.

Who are we looking for? Passionate food systems leaders who are making efforts towards improving the way we produce, distribute and consume our food.

Our Fellows bring diverse perspectives, experiences and networks to the Fellowship. They include and are not limited to government officials, community leaders, artists, entrepreneurs, farmers, influencers, scientists, development workers, financiers, educators and journalists.

If you are based in Kenya or Rwanda and fall under any of these categories, then this is the place for you.

Start your journey as an African Food Fellow by submitting your application via this link https://africanfoodfellowship.org/application-cohort-5/

25/04/2025

We have extended the deadline!

Are you interested in joining the most dynamic food systems leadership network? Then you have up to 30th April 2025 to join the 5th Cohort of the African Food Fellowship

We are looking for mid-career professionals aged between 27-50 years old, whose work is focused on any of the impact areas outlined below:

In Rwanda
✅ Healthy and Nutritious Food
✅ Climate Smart Agriculture
✅ Inclusive Markets and Trade

In Kenya
✅ Horticulture for Inclusive Markets
✅ Blue Economy for Food
✅ Agri-finance

Whether you are a government official, community leader, artist, entrepreneur, farmer, influencer, scientist, development worker, financier, educator or journalist, this Fellowship is for you. Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Submit your application via this link https://africanfoodfellowship.org/application-cohort-5/ on or by Wednesday, 30th April 2025