The African agricultural sector employs roughly one-third of the continent’s population. However, African nations collectively import more than USD 50 billion in food each year — a figure that could rise to as much as USD 110 billion this year, seven times higher than in 2018, according to a study by Afreximbank. Promoting food security and reducing dependence on imported food remain central priorities for policymakers across Africa. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is set to become the largest regional free trade area in terms of both membership and population, encompassing more than 1.3 billion people, with a projected combined GDP of approximately USD 7 trillion by 2035. This vast market presents significant potential for economic growth, with agriculture positioned as a driving force for the continent’s development. Strategic investments in agricultural development — focusing on technology, access to inputs, mechanization, productivity gains, and value chain integration — can accelerate agribusiness growth, building on the lessons learned from Brazil’s agricultural transformation.
Frederico Lamego | Superintendent for International Relations at theBrazilian National Confederation of Industry (CNI)
Daniel Balaban | Director of the World Food Programme Centre of Excellence against Hunger in Brazil (WFP)
Marcos Roberto Garin Brandalise | Founder and Group CEO at BrazAfric Group of Companies
Leila Zorzetto | Executive-Director of DISAM Group
Stephen Yeboah | Founder and CEO at Commodity Monitor Limited
Carol Ribeiro| Journalist at Diário de Notícias (Moderator)