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An integral component of AU-IBAR’s efforts to build sustainable livestock value chains in Africa is the Resilient African Feed and Fodder Systems (RAFFS) Project. The organization’s participation in the Hand-in-Hand (HiHi) Global Investment Forum 2024, particularly in collaboration with Kenya—a key beneficiary of the RAFFS project—underscores its commitment to securing transformative investments in feed and fodder systems. Among the six African countries involved in the RAFFS project, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, and Cameroon were represented at the forum.
Held in Rome from October 15-17, 2024, the forum provided a platform for 13 African countries to present their investment opportunities to investors, multilateral development banks, private sector partners, and other stakeholders. AU-IBAR was represented by Dr. Sarah Ossiya, Coordinator, and David Maina, Feed & Fodder Business Development Expert under the RAFFS Project. They joined the Kenyan delegation to engage with African countries on investment opportunities.
Of the 46 commodities presented by African countries, 20 were in livestock feed and fodder, with five in aquaculture. Overall, 29 countries presented their investment opportunities, with 45% being African nations.
Kenya, a focus country for RAFFS, showcased areas such as maize, cotton ginning, pasture seed multiplication, pasture storage, and black soldier fly farming. In an interview with FAO, Hon. Jonathan Mueke, CBS (Principal Secretary, State Department of Livestock Development, Kenya) emphasized, “This year, Kenya brought compelling investment cases to the forum. We are exploring opportunities in animal feed production, warehousing, and value addition. These projects are expected to attract $231 million, benefit 700,000 people, and reduce carbon emissions by 100,000 tonnes, with an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 24%.”
The Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum is a platform for national authorities to present agricultural investment opportunities, focusing on long-term finance and supporting private investors in developing countries. In Kenya, agriculture, particularly livestock, is crucial, contributing 21% of GDP and employing 40% of the population. Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), which host 70% of the country’s livestock, face food insecurity and climate change challenges. The Hand-in-Hand Initiative aims to catalyze sustainable transformations in the livestock value chain, with AU-IBAR playing a key role in these efforts.
More Details on the Hand-in-Hand (HiHi) Global Investment Forum 2024
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The African Union – Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR).