By Panagrimedia Correspondent, March 26, 2025, Kenya is set to become the epicenter of food systems financing innovation as it hosts the highly anticipated FINAS Summit 2025 from May 20-22 at the iconic Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) in Nairobi. With the agri-food sector standing as a cornerstone of Africa’s economic progress pillar, the landmark summit aims to propose means through which food systems financing gaps can be met.
Under the theme “Taking Ownership: Rethinking Sustainable Financing for Africa’s Food Systems,” FINAS 2025 Summit will serve as a critical platform to explore, unlock and revolutionize sustainable financing solutions to secure Africa’s food future. This shall be achieved by uniting global leaders, policymakers, innovators, financiers and food systems actors key stakeholders.
“At a time when African governments are increasingly committed to self-sufficient financing mechanisms, FINAS Summit 2025, stands as a vital platform to reimagine agri-food financing through innovative models, digital transformation and strategic partnerships that align with the Africa Union’s Kampala Declaration on food security and sustainability.” “We are calling on all visionaries to join us in redefining agri-food financing for a resilient and inclusive future,” stated Dr. Kipronoh Ronoh, Kenya’s Principal Secretary, State Department for Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
Addressing the Funding Challenge
Despite agriculture’s vital role in boosting GDP and alleviating poverty, the sector receives much less funding than other sectors. Agriculture receives only3% of global development funding according to World Bank, a discrepancy that FINAS 2025 is determined to tackle. The summit will delve into the multifaceted challenges impeding investment, including high perceived risks, transaction costs, and limited access to finance for smallholder farmers and agri-SMEs. Through dynamic sessions, experts will discuss groundbreaking financing models designed to de-risk investments and attract diversified capital.
Innovative Solutions and Digital Transformation
At FINAS Summit 2025, technology and digital innovation shall take center stage. The summit will leverage digital solutions to boost infrastructure development, streamline agricultural supply chains, and reduce food loss and waste. These initiatives highlight the event’s commitment to harnessing technology as a catalyst for progress, transforming traditional practices and opening new avenues for sustainable financing within the agri-food sector.
Focus areas
The FINAS Summit takes center stage as a transformative platform aimed at revolutionizing agri-food systems through innovative and inclusive solutions with four main focus areas namely; Inclusive Food Systems Policy, The Youth A-Gender, Funding Resilience, Climate Mitigation and Adaptation as well as Innovation, Data, and Technology. The focus area on Inclusive Food Systems Policy will be highlighting Kenya’s domestication of the Kampala Declaration as a case study and showcasing the progress in repurposing fertilizer subsidy models. Discussions at the summit will explore the public sector’s pivotal role in enhancing agri-food finance, the application of blended finance approaches, and an overview of regulatory frameworks to strengthen agricultural financing.
The Youth A-Gender will spotlight tailored financial instruments for youth and women, initiatives to boost SME financial literacy, and strategies for banking the unbanked, with the co-operative movement as a key driver. On Funding Resilience, Climate Mitigation and Adaptation, the Summit will be addressing the critical need for de-risking food system actors and investments while sealing the leaking pipeline for smallholder farmers, advancing biodiversity, and defining a green finance taxonomy. Innovation, Data, and Technology will feature the scaling of financial access and last-mile delivery through digital innovation, while driving technology adoption, leveraging data, and exploring future directions to bolster food system processes.
Awarding excellence
Additionally, the Summit will recognize excellence in best-fit financing solutions for the sector, with awards in categories such as Financial Inclusion, covering youth and gender inclusion, MSMEs, and responsiveness to the “unbankable”; Best-fit Agricultural Insurance Solutions and Innovative Funding Technologies.
Components of the summit
The FINAS Summit unfolds in a dynamic and thoughtfully structured format, ensuring maximum engagement and impact. The journey begins with pre-conference dialogues, setting the stage for robust conversations and fostering meaningful partnerships.
The main summit will be packed with exciting elements, including keynote speeches from thought leaders, interactive breakout sessions, an innovative hackathon to tackle pressing challenges, and captivating exhibitions showcasing groundbreaking solutions and ideas. Following the main event, post-conference dialogues will extend the conversation, driving actionable outcomes and sustaining the Summit’s influence.
“As the co-lead of the Innovation, Data and Technology focus area, the Fintech Association of Kenya (FINTAK) will drive forward critical conversations on leveraging digital innovation to transform agricultural financing across Africa. This pivotal role recognizes Kenya’s leadership in fintech innovation and FINTAK’s commitment to applying technological solutions to pressing development challenges. Agricultural financing represents one of the most significant opportunities for fintech innovation in Africa,” said George Abwajo, Board Member FINTAK.
A Roadmap for Sustainable Development
Aligned with the Africa Union’s Kampala Declaration and the 10-year Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Strategy and Action Plan, FINAS Summit 2025 will map out a comprehensive roadmap for sustainable agri-food development. With ambitious commitments to increase agrifood output by 45% by 2035, reduce post-harvest loss by 50%, and triple intra-African trade, the summit will provide actionable insights into policy reforms, regulatory improvements, and strategic investments. These discussions aim to transition Africa from traditional agricultural transformation to a broader, sustainable food systems approach, addressing current funding challenges and paving the way for long-term food security and economic growth.
“Now, more than ever, Africa needs bold, homegrown solutions. FINAS Summit 2025 will bring together the best minds to tackle these challenges head-on, fostering partnerships and driving innovation that will empower our agri-food systems for generations to come,” added Dr. Ronoh.
“FINAS 2025 comes at a critical moment when digital transformation is creating unprecedented opportunities to reimagine agricultural financing,” Thought leadership initiatives such as FINAS Summit, which is focusing the conversation on the food systems transformation agenda and providing a platform for stakeholders to propose sustainable solutions for financing agri-food systems in Africa, are crucial. The future of food systems transformation hinges on the ability of African governments to create homegrown solutions that do not hinge on foreign aid as the silver bullet. The diminishing, unassured external financial support necessitates greater innovation, with leaders leveraging domestic resources to build self-sustaining food systems, said Dr. Charity K. Mutegi, the FINAS Summit Director.
The FINAS 2025 Summit arrives at a critical moment as Africa faces unprecedented challenges, including climate change, political instability, and evolving international funding policies. Through focused dialogue and collaborative action, the summit is poised to unlock sustainable financing solutions that will secure a resilient and prosperous agri-food future for the continent.
Join us at FINAS Summit 2025 finas.rootooba.com as we unite to bridge the financing gap, catalyze innovation, and build a resilient agri-food future for Africa!
