The Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) 2025 took place in Dakar, Senegal, from 31 August to 5 September, bringing together more than 6,000 delegates from across Africa and beyond, including government leaders, businesses, academia, farmers’ organisations, youth entrepreneurs, and civil society. Among the distinguished speakers was the President of the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO), Arnold Puech d’Alissac, who contributed to the Farmers’ Forum Roundtable on “Fuelling Growth: Youth, Accessing Finance and Unlocking Climate Funds.”

This dialogue was designed to place farmers at the centre of the conversation with financial institutions, policymakers, and development partners. In his remarks, the WFO President underlined that climate finance can only be effective if it is designed with farmers, through mechanisms that are simple, fair, and directly accessible.

He cautioned that too much funding is currently lost in bureaucratic complexity, preventing it from reaching the cooperatives and family farmers who need it most. Farmers’ organisations, he stressed, must be empowered as conveners and enablers of this transition, supporting their members by navigating complex regulations, offering training and extension services, and amplifying their collective voice in dialogue with policymakers and financial institutions.

The WFO President further highlighted that farmers cannot be left to carry the risks of transition alone. He called for innovative financial instruments such as climate insurance, tailored credit, and incentives that reward ecosystem services provided through sustainable practices. He also emphasised the importance of financing models adapted to agricultural cycles and climate uncertainties, rather than rigid financial structures.

Inclusivity was at the core of his message. He stressed that youth and women must be recognised as full actors in the governance and design of financial mechanisms, not only as recipients of support.

By working together through transparent and fair mechanisms, the WFO President concluded, farmers, policymakers, financial institutions, and development partners can ensure that climate finance commitments translate into tangible results, strengthening resilience and sustainability for Africa’s food systems and beyond.

This call to action now looks ahead to the 2025 Forum of the UNFCCC Standing Committee on Finance (8–9 September, FAO Headquarters, Rome), where the WFO will represent the UNFCCC Farmers’ Constituency. With its focus on “Accelerating climate action and resilience through financing for sustainable food systems and agriculture”, the Forum will be another crucial moment to ensure that farmers’ perspectives are fully integrated into the global debate on climate finance.

Cover photo: ©The Africa Food Systems Forum – AGRF