International Finance Corporation launches Agriconnect initiative to tackle food insecurity in Africa

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has launched a new agriculture-focused initiative aimed at tackling food insecurity in Africa by transforming smallholder farming into a market-driven and income-generating sector.

In a blog on the AgriConnect Initiative, IFC Vice president for Africa, Ethiopis Tafara, said despite the visibility of farming across the continent, food insecurity remained widespread, underscoring the need for a fundamental shift in how agriculture is developed and financed.

Tafara said addressing the challenge required integrated and practical solutions that raise farmers’ incomes, improve productivity, strengthen market linkages, and reduce Africa’s reliance on food imports.

He said the AgriConnect Initiative, launched by the World Bank Group, was designed to help smallholder farmers transition from subsistence farming to surplus production that supports markets, incomes, and economic growth.

“The initiative is already gaining traction, with governments receiving support to develop action plans to modernise and expand their agricultural sectors,” Tafara said.

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