The Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum for Eastern Africa began on August 24, 2026, bringing together representatives from Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda.

FAO Representative in Rwanda Mohamed Aw Dahir said the success of the forum would not be measured by discussions alone, but by its ability to turn ideas into concrete investments that benefit farmers, businesses and rural communities.

“We need to move from discussions to concrete action, and the success of this forum will not be measured only by the discussions, but by our ability to turn ideas into investments that deliver tangible benefits to farmers, the private sector and rural communities,” Dahir said.

He said the Hand-in-Hand initiative seeks to help countries move beyond projects that rely mainly on aid towards sustainable investments capable of transforming agriculture and food processing.

Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Dr. Telesphore Ndabamenye, said the challenge was not a lack of projects, but ensuring that existing opportunities are converted into profitable investments.

“The opportunities are there. What remains is to turn them into investments that can generate returns, scale up and contribute to development,” he said.

Dr. Ndabamenye said Rwanda is working with FAO to identify investment opportunities across agricultural value chains and develop projects that can connect investors with the capital, technology and expertise they need.

FAO Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa Farayi Zimudzi said opportunities exist in coffee, livestock and dairy, fisheries, horticulture, cereals and oil-producing crops.

However, she identified climate change, inadequate infrastructure, high transport costs and limited access to finance as some of the challenges constraining agricultural investment.

Zimudzi called for stronger cooperation among governments, the private sector, financial institutions, development partners and technology experts.

She said all eight participating countries are part of the Hand-in-Hand initiative, which seeks to attract investment that adds value to agricultural production, expand trade and strengthen regional cooperation.

The forum aims to showcase investment opportunities, connect investors with project developers and facilitate agreements that can accelerate transformation in East Africa’s agriculture and livestock sectors.

The meeting comes ahead of the Africa Food Systems Summit scheduled to take place in Kigali in the first week of September 2026, as well as the global FAO Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum planned for Rome, Italy, in October 2026.