Africa’s growing cities increasingly seek safe and reliable sources of quality vegetables. A vibrant agri-food sector in rural and peri-urban areas can tap into this demand to provide wholesome and affordable food for city dwellers—and in the process, fight malnutrition, create employment, and reduce poverty on-farm. This message was at the heart of a keynote presentation delivered by Marco Wopereis, World Vegetable Center Director General, on 8 August 2016 during the 3rd All-Africa Horticultural Congress at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan, Nigeria. Participants from across the continent gathered at the IITA campus to present ideas, explore options, and address bottlenecks for exploiting horticulture’s potential to expand and enhance local economies and livelihoods.