The Financing Agri-Food Systems Sustainably (FINAS) conference 2025 has officially kicked off today at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.
The Conference has brought together a diverse assembly of African and international stakeholders under the theme "Taking Ownership: Rethinking Sustainable Financing for Africa's Food Systems".
The Conference will run from May 20th to 22nd 2025.
Speaking during the official launching of the Conference Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Mutahi Kagwe said that despite the sector's importance, African farmers especially smallholders continue to face a massive financing gap, estimated at USD 60 to 100 billion annually. "In Kenya, out of the total commercial banks loan book of US$49 bn in 2023, only three percent was lent to the agricultural sector.
