3-5 March
São Tomé & Príncipe
African Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are charting a dynamic new path for agrifood systems transformation, climate resilience, and blue economy development. From 3–5 March 2026, under the theme: “Big Ocean States leading the wave of agrifood systems transformation.”
FAO will convene ministers, parliamentarians, regional organizations, development partners, investors, private sector actors, research institutions, and key stakeholders for the African SIDS solutions & investment forum 2026, a high-level platform mobilizing solutions, partnerships, and capital to accelerate sustainable development across Cabo Verde, Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritius, São Tomé & Príncipe, and Seychelles.
The Forum will launch the Ministerial and Parliamentarian Network for African SIDS, present Phase 2 of the Regional Hand-in-Hand (HiH) Investment Initiative (Phase 1 here: investment-ready priorities), and showcase tailored solutions developed by the Interregional Technical Network (ITN).
The Forum will strengthen regional coordination, boost capacity to design and promote climate-resilient agrifood and blue-economy investments, and accelerate mobilization of public, private, and blended finance.
Why African SIDS, why now?
African SIDS face a unique combination of vulnerabilities. Geographic isolation drives high dependence on food imports and raises costs for energy, transport, and communications. Fragile island ecosystems and increasing climate shocks, from sea-level rise to erratic rainfall and cyclones, threaten food security, rural livelihoods, and nutrition. These challenges have been further compounded by recent global shocks, including disruptions to supply chains, health emergencies, and geopolitical instability.
Yet African SIDS are hubs of innovation and opportunity. Agrifood systems, fisheries, aquaculture, blue economy value chains, tourism, youth entrepreneurship, and digital technology offer scalable solutions for resilience growth.
The FAO African SIDS Programme, building on the FAO Hand-in-Hand Initiative, fosters regional collaboration, strengthens technical and policy capacity, and mobilizes investments in climate-smart, inclusive agrifood and blue-economy projects.
From evidence to action: The FAO African SIDS programme
The Forum builds on FAO African SIDS Programme, an initiative designed to make agrifood systems more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable. Developed through extensive technical mapping, multi-country consultations, and validation workshops, the Programme identifies six priority pillars:
- Governance & Institutional Strengthening
- Sustainable & Resilient Agrifood Systems
- Blue Transformation
- Value Chains & Market Access
- Youth & Women Empowerment for Nutrition
- Innovation, Knowledge Sharing & Technology Transfer
These priorities align with the FAO Strategic Framework 2022–2031, the Global Action Programme on Food Security and Nutrition in SIDS, the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS), and Africa’s Agenda 2063, while reflecting the political momentum generated through recent Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) ministerial engagements and the first African SIDS investment mobilization process under the Hand-in-Hand Initiative.
Investment opportunities: blue economy, priority value chains development and trade integration
At the Forum, African SIDS governments and partners will showcase early investment cases backed by geospatial analytics, technical modelling, and blended finance approaches. These opportunities combine strong commercial potentials with high development impact, linking climate resilience, economic diversification, and nutrition outcomes.
For investors (finance institutions, banks, impact funds, commercial actors, foundations, etc.), the Forum provides direct access to bankable project, technical due diligence, and government counterparts.
A platform for solutions and strategic partnerships
The 2026 Forum will facilitate:
- Investment matchmaking
• High-level policy dialogue
• Technical expert exchanges
• South-South and Triangular Cooperation
• Regional and interregional coordination
• Innovation showcases and youth engagement
• Bilateral and multilateral partnership meetings
• Digital knowledge and solution platforms
Who should participate?
- Governments, Parliamentarians & Regional Organizations
SIDS ministries, parliamentarian committee for food security and nutrition, planning authorities, investment agencies, and regional bodies interested in cooperation, trade, and climate-resilient development. - Investors
Financial institutions, impact investors, commercial banks, venture platforms, philanthropic funds, foundations, and blended finance vehicles seeking credible investment cases. - Private Sector & Agribusiness
Producers, processors, blue economy operators, technology companies, logistics actors, and SMEs. - Development PartnersTechnical agencies, donors, research institutions, and IFI.
- Academia, Youth & Innovation Communities
Solution providers, incubators, and innovators.
Join us
African SIDS are moving from isolation to innovation and turning vulnerabilities into opportunities. By convening the agrifood, blue economy, trade, and innovation communities, the Forum offers a unique chance to accelerate climate-resilient development while unlocking commercially viable investment opportunities that can transform island food systems.
Registration, programme agenda, and speaker announcements will be available soon.