Heifer International at Africa Food Systems Forum 2025

About AFSF 2025

The Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) 2025 is the continent’s leading platform for advancing food and agriculture. It brings together leaders from government, business, research, development organizations, and, most importantly, young people shaping Africa’s food future.

This year’s theme, “Africa’s Youth: Leading Collaboration, Innovation, and the Implementation of Agri-Food Systems Transformation,” aligns closely with Heifer International’s strategy to build inclusive, resilient and sustainable food systems, led by youth and centered on smallholder farmers.

Heifer at AFSF 2025

As a strategic partner, Heifer International will highlight practical solutions, financing models and youth-led innovations that are helping smallholder farmers overcome today’s most pressing challenges.

We will present how collaborative action and systemic shifts toward inclusivity and sustainability are yielding real results, while calling on governments, investors and development partners to prioritize youth led innovation, innovative finance and locally driven solutions as key levers for Africa’s food future.

Schedule: Speaking Sessions & Side Events

Heifer leaders, including the President & CEO and members of the Board of Directors and regional teams, will take part in high-level plenaries, thematic sessions and side events.

Discussions will explore:

• The role of smallholder farmers in building resilient food systems
• The power of digital agriculture and youth-driven agritech
• Climate-smart solutions for agriculture
• Women’s leadership in agrifood systems

Speaking Sessions

Day 1 – Monday, September 2025, 15:00 – 18:00 GMT

• Plenary: African Food Systems Year in Review: Holding ourselves accountable, how much have we progressed?
• Location: Auditorium
• Panelist: Nomsa Daniels, Board Member, Heifer International

Day 2 – Tuesday, 2 September 2025, 10:30 – 12:00 GMT

• Plenary: Empower Women in Agri-Food Systems: Advancing Nutrition & Health
• Location: Auditorium
• Panelist: Surita Sandosham, President & CEO, Heifer International

• 14:30 – 16:00 GMT
• Digitalisation & AI 4 Next Gen Youth Driven Digital Innovation in African Food Systems
• Location: Auditorium
• Panelist: Adesuwa Ifedi, Africa Senior Vice President, Heifer International

Day 3 – Wednesday, 3 September 2025, 14:00 – 16:00 GMT

• Empower Her: Next-gen Women in Agri-Food (Cross-Generational Mentorship Session)
• Location: Youth Dome
• Panelist: Adesuwa Ifedi, Africa Senior Vice President, Heifer International
• 16:30 – 18:00 GMT
• Thematic Session: Agri-Tech & Digitalisation
• Location: Hall A – Thematic Hall
• Panelist: Mr. Dayo Aduroja, Director – Youth & Tech Innovation, Africa, Heifer International

Day 4 – Thursday, 4 September 2025, 10:30 – 12:30 GMT

• Honouring African Agripreneurs (Celebration of the African Agripreneurs and GAFP Fellows Graduation)
• Location: Youth Dome
• Panelist: Surita Sandosham, President & CEO, Heifer International
• 12:00 – 13:30 GMT
• Roundtable: Civil Society Forum
• Location: Oval Room
• Panelist: Esther Cohen, Board Chair, Heifer International
• 14:30 – 17:00 GMT
• Plenary: Closing Ceremony
• Location: Auditorium
• Panelist: Adesuwa Ifedi, Africa Senior Vice President, Heifer International.

Side Events

Wednesday, 3 September 2025, 18:00 – 19:30 GMT

Heifer Side Event: Youth as the Architects of Africa’s Agricultural Future

This session will spotlight youth not only as entrepreneurs but also as planners and system-builders. It will bring together young agripreneurs, investor and policymakers to debate how innovation, inclusive finance and local leadership can redefine agriculture across Africa.

Location: Youth Dome

Tuesday, 2 September 2025, 09:00 – 13:30 GMT

Heifer-Led Deal Room Session

A half-day series of candid, high-impact conversations with investors, governments and innovators. These sessions will challenge traditional donor models and explore how blended finance and catalytic capital can scale locally led solutions.

Location: Deal Room 1

31 August 31 – 5 September 2025

Exhibition Booth

Visit our booth in Dakar or join us online to connect with our teams across eight African countries. Explore initiatives like AYuTe Africa NextGen and our catalytic finance partnerships driving impact for smallholder farmers.

Stay Connected
Follow @HeiferAfrica for live updates, speaker highlights and impact stories throughout the week of the Forum.