Conference Agenda – Africa Food Show Kenya

CONCEPT NOTE

Africa Food Show (AFS) 2026

Theme: Transforming Agrifood Systems for Healthy Diets: From Seed to Plate

Conference & Knowledge Partners

In Collaboration

BACKGROUND

The Africa Food Show (AFS) 2026, scheduled for 19–21 August 2026 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Nairobi, is the premier pan-African business-to-business platform dedicated to advancing Africa’s agricultural and food industries. Bringing together producers, processors, traders, retailers, investors, policymakers, regulators, researchers, financial institutions, development partners, private sector leaders, innovators, international buyers and community representatives from across the continent and beyond, the event serves as a strategic platform for innovation, networking, investment and trade across the entire agrifood value chain. In its fourth edition, AFS 2026 aligns with Kenya’s Vision 2030 and the African Union Agenda 2063, while building on previous editions to integrate commercial exchange with policy dialogue, technical knowledge sharing and innovation. Through its four complementary pillars—the Exhibition, the Conference, the Mezani Culinary Showcase and the Coffee Barista Championship—the event seeks to strengthen regional trade, promote investment, showcase innovation and accelerate sustainable agrifood systems transformation across Africa.

The Africa Food Show comes at a time when Africa ‘ s agrifood systems are undergoing rapid transformation, driven by growing demand for nutritious foods, urbanization, technological innovation, climate change and expanding regional markets. While the continent possesses immense agricultural potential, persistent challenges, including food insecurity, climate shocks, post-harvest losses, market access constraints, food safety risks and the increasing burden of malnutrition in all its forms, continue to limit the ability of agrifood systems to deliver economic prosperity, environmental sustainability and healthy diets. These challenges highlight the need to transform agrifood systems across the entire value chain, from seed to plate, recognizing that the health of populations is intrinsically linked to how food is produced, processed, traded, marketed and consumed.

Against this backdrop, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), will convene a two-day knowledge conference under the overall theme “Transforming Agrifood Systems for Healthy Diets: From Seed to Plate “. The conference will provide a platform for policymakers, private sector actors, development partners, researchers, innovators and the community to explore how agriculture, food processing, trade, investment, technology, food safety and nutrition can collectively contribute to agrifood systems that are more productive, resilient, competitive and nutrition sensitive.

For Kenya, this dialogue is particularly timely. As the country seeks to expand agricultural trade, strengthen agro-industrialization and create employment opportunities, it is simultaneously confronted by rising rates of overweight, obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases alongside persistent undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. Addressing these challenges requires moving beyond sector-specific interventions towards integrated food systems approaches that generate economic opportunities while improving the availability, affordability and consumption of safe, nutritious and sustainably produced foods. In this context, building a healthy food economy is not only a public health imperative but also a strategic pathway for enhancing agricultural competitiveness, creating jobs, stimulating innovation and advancing sustainable national development

The conference will therefore serve as a platform for sharing evidence, showcasing innovations, fostering strategic partnerships and identifying practical actions that accelerate agrifood systems transformation. Through dialogue among governments, Parliament, regulatory authorities, financial institutions, research and academic institutions, the private sector, producer organizations, development partners, civil society, youth leaders, entrepreneurs and community representatives, it will seek to advance integrated solutions that strengthen food systems, improve nutrition outcomes and position healthy diets as both a development priority and an engine for inclusive economic growth

OBJECTIVES

Main objectives (Goal)

To catalyze agrifood systems transformation to deliver healthy diets

Specific Objectives

To foster transformative governance through policy implementation and regulatory reforms that enable Agrifoods systems to deliver healthy diets
To bridge science, research, innovation and technology towards promoting evidence based sustainable healthy diets
To explore sustainable and innovative agrifood systems financing mechanisms for healthy diets
To harness community driven solutions to shape healthy diets

CONFERENCE PILLARS

Pillar 1: Transformative governance including Enabling Policy and Regulatory Environment to Transform Agrifood Systems for Healthy Diets

Transforming agrifood systems for healthy diets requires coherent policy and regulatory environment that align agriculture, trade,
health, industry and investment objectives. This theme will explore how integrated policy approaches can create enabling
environments that improve the availability, accessibility, affordability and consumption of healthy diets while fostering inclusive
economic growth and protecting public health. Bringing together policymakers from across relevant sectors, the discussions will
identify policy actions that strengthen food systems, create healthier food environments, promote responsible investment and trade,
and reinforce food safety and quality systems as foundations for agrifood systems transformation and healthy diets.

Pillar 2: Harnessing Science, Research, Innovation and Technology to Accelerate Agrifood Systems Transformation for Healthy Diets

Science, innovation and technology are critical drivers of agrifood systems transformation, enabling more efficient, resilient and nutrition-sensitive food systems. This theme will explore how scientific research, technological innovation and digital solutions can strengthen food production, processing, value addition and distribution while improving food safety, reducing food loss and preserving the nutritional quality of foods. Bringing together researchers, innovators, industry leaders, technology developers and Food Processors, the discussions will identify practical solutions that promote nutrient-rich foods, strengthen value chains, improve market access and traceability, and accelerate the adoption of innovations that support healthier diets and sustainable agrifood systems.

Pillar 3: Sustainable Financing and Partnership for Agrifood System Transformation for Healthy Diets

Achieving sustainable agrifood systems transformation requires adequate investment and strong partnerships that mobilize resources, share risks and foster innovation. This theme will explore how innovative financing mechanisms and strategic partnerships can unlock public and private investment to accelerate resilient, inclusive and nutrition-sensitive agrifood systems. Bringing together national and county government budget planners, financial institutions, investors, development partners and the private sector, the discussions will examine practical approaches to financing agrifood transformation, strengthening public-private partnerships and leveraging blended finance to support innovation, agribusiness development and the scaling of solutions that improve healthy diets. The dialogue will provide a platform for sharing experiences, identifying emerging financing opportunities and building partnerships that can catalyse long-term investment in healthy food systems.

Pillar 4: Community- led Approaches Towards Transforming Agrifood Systems to Deliver Heathy Diets

Sustainable agrifood systems transformation must be rooted in the knowledge, experiences and leadership of the communities that produce, process, market and consume food. This theme will explore how communities can be empowered to strengthen local food systems, leverage indigenous knowledge, promote inclusive participation and ensure that agrifood systems respond to local needs, priorities and contexts. Bringing together small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs/MSMEs), farmers, cooperatives, producer groups, food processors, retailers, youth innovators, development partners and government representatives, the discussions will examine how community knowledge, local entrepreneurship, innovation and collective action can strengthen resilient, inclusive and nutritionsensitive agrifood systems. The dialogue will showcase practical experiences, indigenous knowledge and community-led solutions while identifying approaches to strengthen local enterprises, foster strategic partnerships and scale locally driven innovations that improve healthy diets, livelihoods and rural development.