Plenary Event: Enabling Adaptation Investment Markets for Agriculture and Food Systems in Africa

Side Event at the Africa Climate Investment Summit 

Event description

Adaptation finance is not only a defense strategy but also a strategic investment opportunity. Africa’s agri-food systems are increasingly vulnerable to climate shocks, threatening both financiers and borrowers. Climate change is a growing business risk, while climate-driven yield fluctuations weaken borrowers’ ability to service loans, worsening exclusion from finance. 
Banks and funds that act now will not only mitigate risk but open new markets, create resilient value chains, and secure long-term profitability. 

SCALING ADAPTATION INVESTMENT 
Under the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP), GCA is scaling its support to financial institutions across Africa to boost private sector engagement in climate adaptation. Work with the private sector has, in 2025, started with domestic financial institutions through portfolio de-risking, institutional strengthening, and adaptation investment pipeline development. 

In parallel, GCA is conducting a market analysis to demonstrate that agricultural adaptation is bankable. The study identifies and quantifies the financial returns for a select range of commercially viable adaptation solutions in agriculture and food systems in Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia and Democratic Republic of Congo. It offers recommendations for potential financing structures and de-risking mechanisms for commercial banks and other inclusive financial service providers. 


OBJECTIVE OF THE EVENT 
GCA and the World Economic Forum (Forum) under their recently launched Africa Business Adaptation Platform, cordially invite you to a plenary discussion on the topic of Enabling Adaptation Investment Markets for Agriculture and Food Systems in Africa. 
The event will bring together key actors along priority agriculture value chains, including financiers, enablers, and adapters, with the aim to identify solutions for scaling Adaptation & Resilience investments in Africa. 

As part of the Africa Climate Investment Summit and in parallel to the YouthAdapt Challenge 2025 Demo Day, this event will be positioned amongst Africa’s leading investors in the commercial and impact investment space, innovators, policymakers, and youth-led enterprises driving innovative and commercially viable agri-solutions across the continent.