L-R: Koffi Annan and Al Gore
Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair are among top global speakers at the upcoming Africa Green Revolution Forum (AGRF).
The forum is the continent’s most lucrative agricultural advancement revolution gathering and will take place in Rwanda’s capital Kigali, from September 3-7, 2018.
AGRF 2018 will feature at least 300 global speakers including five Heads of State and more than 15 ministers who will help mobilize $30 billion to fund the continent’s agriculture transformation.
Global CEOs such as Howard Buffett of the Buffet Foundation, Strive Masiyiwa of Econet Wireless; Algerian billionaire businessman Issad Rebrab and Sunny Verhese, CEO of Olam International, Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, will also speak at the event, according to organisers.
Also expected at the forum are its key sponsors including Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation owned by Microsoft’s Billionaire Bill Gates and his wife Melinda Gates.
However, sources reaching KT Press say that Howard Buffet, Al Gore, Aliko Dangote and Bill Gates will not attend the forum.
Representatives of Rockefeller Foundation, which is a sponsor of the forum are expected to attend as well.
Now in its 7th edition, the AGRF is considered the world’s most important and impactful forum for African agriculture.
In its last two forums (2016-2017) held in Kenya and Cote d’Ivoire respectively, the forum mobilized $36 billion to support the continent with investments to increase production, income, and employment for small holder farmers and local African agriculture businesses over the next ten years.
Rwanda was chosen to host this year’s forum. Dr. Agnes Kalibata – President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) which organizes the forum, told KT Press in a previous report, that the forum is an opportunity for Rwanda to showcase its progress and get support in funding agriculture projects especially in the private sector.
Meanwhile, this year’s forum will announce the 2018 Africa Food Prize Winner, who will be selected by an Independent Prize Committee chaired by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The Prize will recognize an extraordinary individual whose outstanding contribution to African agriculture in recent years is forging a new era of food security and economic opportunity for all Africans.
President Kagame is expected to announce ‘The Kigali Declaration’ a powerful multi-sector statement that captures this moment, progress, and commitments for the future and places, according to the forum’s website.
African agriculture stands at the point of transformational change. … Farming is the primary source of food and income for Africans and provides up to 60 percent of all jobs on the continent.
Food production in sub-Saharan Africa needs to increase by 60% over the next 15 years to feed a growing population
