ADAF26: A decade of connecting people, food and opportunities

23–24 October 2026 · Brussels, Belgium

Now in its tenth year, the African Diaspora Agrofood Forum (ADAF26), organised by The Food Bridge vzw, brought together policymakers, development agencies, entrepreneurs and investors in Brussels to explore opportunities for strengthening Africa's agrofood ecosystem.

In her welcome remarks, Dr Maureen Duru, Founder of The Food Bridge vzw and Convener of ADAF, highlighted the changing international development financing landscape as an opportunity for African diasporas to contribute more strategically to Africa's development.

She emphasised that reimagining remittances is not about diverting funds intended for families, but about creating credible, transparent and secure structures that enable interested diaspora members to invest part of their resources in productive enterprises.

With growing global interest in African indigenous crops and their potential, she called for greater diaspora participation across the entire agrofood value chain, encouraging engagement with the Collective Action on Forgotten Foods (CAFF).

Strengthening Partnerships and Investment Opportunities

H.E. Dr Adebayo Emmanuel Adeyemi, Nigerian Ambassador to Belgium, and H.E. Henry Tachie-Menson, Ghanaian Ambassador to Belgium, shared insights into government policies supporting diaspora engagement and investment.

Mr Raschad Al-Khafaji, Director of the FAO Liaison Office with the European Union and Belgium, highlighted initiatives involving diasporas and their countries of origin.

Mauro Martini, Senior Technical Specialist for Remittances, Migration and Development at the UN International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), shared successful examples of mobilising diaspora resources for productive investments.

Experienced diaspora entrepreneurs also shared practical lessons on professionalising businesses, building partnerships and navigating entrepreneurial challenges.

From Conversations to Business Connections

Day two featured engaging workshops facilitated by ZidiCircle, EUDiF, ALEFA Diaspora and CAFF, focusing on diaspora investment, entrepreneurship and sustainable partnerships.

At least four potential business connections emerged from one interactive session alone.

ADAF26 concluded with a call for greater diaspora engagement in Africa's agrofood sector, with participants encouraged to explore investment opportunities through CAFF.

About the Collective Action on Forgotten Foods (CAFF)

CAFF is a programme of the Global Forum on Agricultural Innovation and Research (GFAiR), supported by the European Commission.

🔗 Learn more about CAFF and GFAiR: https://gfair.network/allnews

List of Speakers

Opening Remarks

• Mr Rob de Lobel — Head of Labour Mobility Unit, International Organization for Migration (IOM), Belgium and Luxembourg
• Mr Raschad Al-Khafaji — Director, FAO Liaison Office with the European Union and Belgium
• H.E. Dr Adebayo Emmanuel Adeyemi — Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Kingdom of Belgium

Keynote Speech

• H.E. Henry Tachie-Menson — Ambassador of Ghana to the Kingdom of Belgium

High-Level Panel Discussion

• Mauro Martini — Senior Technical Specialist, Remittances, Migration and Development, UN International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
• Francois Stepman — Advisor, Global Forum on Agricultural Innovation and Research (GFAiR)
• Esther M. Mbidi — Founder, Credassur Group Europe
• Latifa Ait-Baala — Member of the Brussels Parliament