Dakar, Senegal – 1 - 3 September 2025 – The Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) actively contributed to the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) 2025, held in Dakar under the theme “Act: Food Systems Pathways.” The Forum, the continent’s largest gathering on agriculture and food security, brought together heads of state, ministers, international organizations, private sector leaders, farmers, and civil society to accelerate Africa’s agricultural transformation.
The Director General of IOFS, Amb. Berik Aryn, attended the opening ceremony on 2 September, where participants were welcomed by H.E. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal and H.E. President Paul Kagame of Rwanda. Both leaders reaffirmed their governments’ commitment to youth-led innovation and agricultural transformation. President Faye declared: “We have the means to feed our children and the world. Let us unite our will, mobilize our resources, and make food systems the engine of an African renaissance founded on dignity, sovereignty, and shared development.” His call was echoed by Hailemariam Desalegn, Chair of AGRA and former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, and Alice Ruhweza, President of AGRA, who both urged urgent action to align political will, financial resources, and youth energy to drive food systems change.
The IOFS Director General, H.E. Ambassador Berik Aryn, later spoke at the Investment Room under the theme “Act: Food Systems Pathways.” In his intervention, he emphasized that youth and women must be placed at the very center of agricultural development. He highlighted IOFS initiatives across Africa, including:
Ambassador Aryn also announced that IOFS is engaging with its Member States on celebrating 2026 as the “Year of Women Agrileaders and Youth Agripreneurs (WAYA)” to showcase success stories, mobilize resources, and scale innovation across the OIC region.
Alongside the plenary sessions, IOFS hosted two high-level side events:
1. IOFS and UN Women Highlight Women’s Role in Agriculture
On 1 September, IOFS and UN Women co-hosted “Women in Agriculture: Challenges in West & Central Africa.” The session showcased cassava value chain pilots in Nigeria and Sierra Leone, designed to empower women farmers through climate-resilient practices, cooperative strengthening, processing, and improved market access.
Hon. Manty Tarawalli, Minister of State in the Office of the Vice President of Sierra Leone, delivered a keynote reaffirming her government’s dedication to women’s empowerment in agriculture. Other esteemed speakers, including Dr. Ismail Abdelhamid (Director of Projects, IOFS), Ms. Juliet Laverley (WiAN Sierra Leone) and Ms. Jaha Dukureh (UN Women Regional Goodwill Ambassador for Africa), stressed the urgency of closing gender gaps in agriculture.
The discussion reinforced IOFS’s flagship Women in Agriculture Development Initiative (WADI) as a driver of inclusive food systems across Africa.
2. Resilient Agriculture in West Africa Through Young Farmers
On 2 September, IOFS convened experts, policymakers, and young leaders to spotlight the vital role of youth in advancing climate-smart agriculture, digital innovation, and entrepreneurship.
The Director General of IOFS, Ambassador Aryn underlined that Africa’s demographic reality – with more than 60% of its population under 25 – makes youth empowerment central to food security. IOFS’s training programs, biotechnology platforms, and cassava value chain initiatives were showcased as models for engaging youth not as eneficiaries, but as partners and leaders of transformation.
The IOFS participation at AFSF 2025 reflects its mission to support OIC Member States in strengthening food security through cooperation, innovation, and inclusive development. By spotlighting women and youth, IOFS underscores that without youth, there is no sustainability, and without women, there is no resilience.
