Nutrition, jobs, resilience:
AGRA-WorldVeg partnership puts vegetables at the center of Africa’s food systems transformation
WorldVeg is teaming up with AGRA to ensure vegetables play a bigger role in Africa’s agriculture – from boosting farm resilience to improving nutrition and creating jobs.
A new agreement sets the course for the two organisations to work together to improve the supply, demand and policy environment critical for safe and sustainable vegetable production and consumption in the continent. It builds on an existing partnership to develop youth-focused vegetable market gardens in Tanzania and Mali.
WorldVeg Director General Marco Wopereis and AGRA President Alice Ruhweza sign a Memorandum of Understanding following the Africa Food Systems Forum in Dakar, Senegal. The new agreement will see the two organisations deepen their collaboration in Africa, targeting seed systems, job creation, nutritious diets and more. Pic by Neil Palmer (WorldVeg).
Historically, agricultural research and development funding in Africa has supported staples like rice, maize and beans – crops considered essential for food security. Now, there is growing interest in improved vegetable production to support healthy and nutritious diets, provide jobs for women and youth, and give farmers options for diversifying production and responding to climate change.
“Vegetables have significant potential across the domains of diets, employment and resilience in Africa,” said Marco Wopereis, Director General of WordVeg, who signed the Memorandum of Understanding, with AGRA President Alice Ruhweza, in Dakar, Senegal, today. The signing took place following the AGRA-hosted Africa Food Systems Forum, which WorldVeg sponsors. “This agreement lays the foundation for the central role of vegetables in the future of African food systems,” said Wopereis.
Attendees at the MoU signing occasion between WorldVeg and AGRA, following the AGRA-hosted Africa Food Systems Forum in Dakar, Senegal. The agreement will see the two organisations deepen their collaboration in Africa, targeting seed systems, job creation, nutritious diets and more. Pic by Neil Palmer (WorldVeg).
Strengthening seed systems is a priority under the agreement. Currently millions of farmers across the continent struggle to access affordable, good quality vegetable seed, meaning they live with the prospect of precarious harvests and uncertain incomes. The agreement will also support the development of local seed enterprises and seed distribution to improve farmer’s access to good-quality planting material. Training programs for youth and women farmers, and efforts to improve seed policy are also included.
More broadly, the organizations will work together to support farmers with the adoption of climate-resilient and environmentally friendly vegetable production techniques – activities that underpin enhanced yields, and support more diverse and nutritious diets. The agreement will also open up new opportunities to influence policy development in relation to vegetables, and joint efforts in resource mobilisation.
“This is a fantastic moment for WorldVeg to formally partner with AGRA – a pan-African institution that is leading the transformation of Africa’s food systems,” said Gabriel Rugalema, WorldVeg Associate Director General for Africa.
Gabriel Rugalema, WorldVeg Associate Director General for Africa, addresses guests at the MoU signing occasion between WorldVeg and AGRA, following the AGRA-hosted Africa Food Systems Forum in Dakar, Senegal. The agreement will see the two organisations deepen their collaboration in Africa, targeting seed systems, job creation, nutritious diets and more. Pic by Neil Palmer (WorldVeg).
“The landscape is rapidly changing for vegetables, with more and more organizations seeing their potential to contribute to multiple Sustainable Development Goals. We’re really forward to working with AGRA to realise the power of vegetables for farmers and consumers across Africa.”
The agreement aligns closely with WorldVeg’s Push-Pull-Policy approach to vegetable research and development, which focuses on addressing both the supply and demand for vegetables – while also improving the policy environment – to help maximise production and consumption. The Push-Pull-Policy Framework is a key feature of the new WorldVeg Global Strategy 2026-2033, launched last week.
