South–South Collaboration Workshop for Partners: Building Business Linkages for a Thriving and Climate-Resilient Maize Sector

Maize is a staple food and a cornerstone of food security for millions of people across the member states of the OACPS. From Africa to Latin America and Caribbean, it supports daily diets, livestock production and rural economies, and its ability to thrive in diverse climates makes it vital for small-scale producers. For women and youth especially, maize offers a pathway to income and employment through value chains that require relatively low investment yet hold significant growth potential.

Despite this importance, the sector faces persistent obstacles including limited access to climate-resilient seeds, restrictive trade policies, pest and diseases and underfinanced value chains, while demand for high-quality maize food and animal feed continues to grow. These shared challenges and emerging opportunities underscore the need for stronger partnerships to exchange proven solutions and build climate-resilient, competitive value chains.

Purpose of the Workshop
To support partners unlock the sector’s full potential, the Agri-Business Facility for Africa (ABF) will host a South–South Collaboration Workshop themed: “Building Business Linkages for a Thriving and Climate-Resilient Maize Sector,” in Nairobi, Kenya. This week-long gathering from 20 to 24 October 2025 will bring together Competitive Matching Grant Fund (MGF) partners from 14 African countries who are engaged in maize value chains. The workshop is designed to facilitate knowledge exchange, build stronger regional business connections and encourage joint action that transforms shared challenges into opportunities for sustainable growth.

Key Highlights
The week-long programme will combine expert knowledge with practical learning to strengthen maize value chains across regions. Participants will practical sessions led by maize specialists that focus on climate-smart production, engage in discussions on effective trade policies and strategies to unlock finance and investment. They will join field visits in Kenya to engage directly with farmers and value-chain actors and observe innovative, climate-smart practices in action. The workshop will feature dynamic South–South exchanges where agripreneurs and small enterprises from Africa can share proven approaches and learn from each other’s experiences. Structured business-to-business networking will encourage the creation of inter- and intra-country partnerships to explore concrete opportunities for investment and collaborative action.

Organizers
This workshop is organized by the Agri-Business Facility for Africa (ABF), as part of the Joint Action “Business Support Facility for Resilient Agricultural Value Chains” co-funded by the European Union under the Samoa agreement with OACPS and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by GIZ.