Addis Ababa, September 17, 2026 (FMC) — IGAD Member States have endorsed the Regional Agrifood Systems Investment Plan (RASIP) 2026–2035 and the Regional Seed Policy and Regulatory Framework, marking a major step toward coordinated action on food security, resilience and sustainable agrifood systems transformation across the Horn of Africa.
The two frameworks were endorsed at a high-level ministerial session in Addis Ababa today, concluding a three-day process that brought together government officials, technical experts and development partners for final review, validation and endorsement of the regional instruments.
RASIP succeeds the Regional Agricultural Investment Plan (RAIP) 2016–2020 and provides a regional framework for coordinated investment linking agriculture, environment, trade and resilience. The Regional Seed Policy and Regulatory Framework is designed to strengthen seed systems, improve access to quality agricultural inputs and promote cooperation across regional seed value chains.
Speaking at the start of the closing session, IGAD Executive Secretary Dr Workneh Gebeyehu said the endorsement of the two frameworks represents a shift from fragmented initiatives toward unified and systemic regional action.
Workneh said the region is facing mounting pressures from climate shocks, including prolonged droughts, as well as conflicts, economic volatility and population growth, making stronger and more coordinated food systems essential.
He said RASIP provides a mechanism for translating continental commitments into tangible regional action and advances the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) framework by directing investment toward resilient and sustainable food systems.
Workneh also highlighted the plan’s role in advancing regional trade through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), stressing the need for the IGAD region to move beyond emergency food responses and build its capacity to supply continental markets.
He said agrifood transformation also depends on reliable access to high-quality inputs, identifying resilient seeds as a key tool for addressing climate shocks and improving agricultural productivity.
According to Workneh, the Regional Seed Policy Framework will help reduce barriers to regional seed trade by harmonizing regulations across borders, expanding access to climate-smart and high-yielding varieties, and maintaining biosafety, quality assurance and phytosanitary standards.
At the opening of the gathering on September 15, Senait Regassa (PhD), Project Coordinator of IGAD’s Food Systems Resilience Programme (FSRP), said food insecurity driven by climate shocks, conflicts, economic volatility and structural weaknesses in production and market systems requires coordinated investment at scale.
Senait said RASIP brings agriculture, environment, trade and resilience into a coherent regional framework designed to strengthen food security, economic growth and social stability.
She also underscored the importance of the regional seed framework, saying stronger seed systems are essential not only for efficient supply but also for food and seed sovereignty and for ensuring farmers have access to quality varieties adapted to changing climatic conditions and resistant to pests and diseases.
Zena Habtewold, Advisor to Ethiopia’s Minister of Agriculture, said RASIP marks a shift from conventional agricultural production toward a broader and more integrated transformation of agrifood systems.
Zena identified sustainable food production, regional trade and AfCFTA, inclusive financing, nutrition, climate resilience, governance and research among the strategic areas requiring investment.
He highlighted Ethiopia’s experience with irrigated wheat production and improved seed varieties as part of efforts to strengthen domestic agricultural production. He also cited cluster farming, which brings smallholder plots together to facilitate mechanization, improve production quality, expand extension services and strengthen market linkages.
Zena further presented Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative as an example of connecting landscape restoration, agroforestry, soil conservation and fruit-tree development with food and nutrition security.
He called for the implementation arrangements and results framework of RASIP to reflect the realities of IGAD member states and continental priorities, while ensuring that regional investment addresses the needs of smallholder farmers, pastoralists, women and youth.
The Regional Seed Policy and Regulatory Framework was developed through studies, consultations and technical reviews involving IGAD member states and stakeholders. The process included a regional dialogue on seed systems and resilience, a Regional Seed Forum and a virtual consultation in June to review the draft framework and incorporate recommendations.
Both instruments contribute to the implementation of continental commitments under the Kampala Declaration and are flagship interventions under the World Bank-funded Food Systems Resilience Program (FSRP), implemented by IGAD.
Workneh said the endorsement signals the region’s readiness to move beyond policy dialogue toward implementation and financial accountability, pledging IGAD’s institutional support to help member states localize the frameworks and mobilize development partners around their implementation.
He expressed appreciation to member states, development partners and other stakeholders that contributed to the development of the frameworks, as well as the World Bank for supporting the process through the Food Systems Resilience Program for Eastern and Southern Africa.
The endorsement establishes a common regional framework for coordinated investment across food production, agricultural inputs, markets, trade, climate resilience and environmental sustainability, with the broader aim of building a more food-secure, resilient and integrated Horn of Africa.