FINAS 2025 Summit Closes with Strong Call for Sustainable Agricultural Financing in Africa
Cabinet Secretary for Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development Dr.Wycliffe Oparanya (fourth left )pose for a photo with Stakeholders during the FINAS2020 closing Summit.
The FINAS 2025 Summit wrapped up on a high note,marking the end of a transformative gathering that positioned sustainable agri-food financing at the heart of Africa’s development agenda.
Held under the theme Taking Ownership: Rethinking Sustainable Financing for Africa’s Food Systems,this year’s summit brought together policymakers, development partners, private sector leaders and farmers from across the continent in a bold effort to chart a new path for agricultural investment.
Speaking during the FINAS2025 summit, the Cabinet Secretary for Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development Dr.Wycliffe Oparanya praised the summit’s evolution from a national platform into a continental movement that is redefining how Africa finances its food systems.
“The Financing Agri-Food Systems Sustainably (FINAS) platform has become a catalyst for dialogue, innovation, and collaboration,” he said, commending organizers and stakeholders for the summit’s resounding success.
FINAS 2025 focused on five key objectives including reviewing progress, identifying emerging challenges, aligning solutions with global financial trends, celebrating innovation, and strengthening cross-sectoral partnerships. Notable among the outcomes was the endorsement of the Kampala Declaration, a milestone commitment to scaling up investment in agri-food systems amidst climate and policy uncertainties.
Participants echoed a shared concern over the persistent underfunding of agriculture, despite its central role in GDP, employment, and food security. The summit spotlighted the need for inclusive financing frameworks, with special attention to youth, women, and smallholder farmers described as the backbone of African agriculture.
Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) were also highlighted as engines of innovation and growth, with a call for stronger support systems through cooperatives and SACCOs to enhance resource mobilization and financial inclusion. “Cooperatives are vital in empowering rural communities, offering affordable credit and resilience through risk-sharing mechanisms,” the CS noted.
The summit also celebrated progress on a key 2024 resolution: the near-finalization of Kenya’s Policy and Legal Framework on Agricultural Financing and Subsidy Management, driven by the Ministry of Agriculture and inclusive stakeholder participation. This development was hailed as evidence that FINAS is not just a conference, but a vehicle for tangible change.
As the summit closed, stakeholders were urged to sustain the momentum, deepen collaboration, and explore bold financing strategies, including the potential reclassification of agricultural loans and mandatory priority lending.
“I officially declare FINAS 2025 closed,” Oparanya, adding that “Let us continue to collaborate, innovate, and advocate for resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems across Africa.”
By Sharon Atieno
