29 May 2026
Integrating Circular Food Systems into Climate Policy and Finance
The day opened with a session examining how evidence from the CFS programme can inform climate adaptation and resilience planning. Presentations highlighted growing evidence that circular food systems strengthen resilience to climate shocks, improve resource efficiency, and support sustainable livelihoods. Findings from Tanzania demonstrated that communities implementing circular food systems interventions were better able to cope with climate-related stresses than non-intervention areas.
Regional and continental institutions emphasized that while countries are actively reviewing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and implementing National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), circular food systems and water-smart approaches are not yet systematically incorporated into these frameworks. The African Union Commission noted that circular food systems align strongly with the AU Climate Strategy, the Green Recovery Action Plan, and ongoing continental climate investment initiatives, presenting an important opportunity for greater policy integration.
Country experiences reinforced the urgency of climate-resilient planning. Mozambique shared lessons from severe flooding that devastated the Chókwè irrigation scheme, affecting approximately 83,000 hectares of agricultural land and exposing vulnerabilities in existing food production systems. Participants agreed that future irrigation investments must be designed with climate resilience at their core and supported by integrated water management, flood mitigation, renewable energy solutions, and basin-wide planning approaches.
The session concluded with a call to position circular food systems within NDCs, NAPs, climate finance proposals, and discussions leading to COP32 in Ethiopia, creating a pathway for African experiences and evidence to inform global climate adaptation conversations.
Adoption of the Regional Policy Statement and Action Note
A major milestone of the Dialogue was the adoption of the Regional Policy Statement and Action Note, which consolidated recommendations emerging from the policy discussions, field experiences, enterprise case studies, and regional consultations conducted throughout the week.
Presented by the East African Community representative, Mr Valerian Vitalis Kidole, the Policy Statement outlined 15 resolutions across six strategic policy domains. These included:
- Integration of circular food systems into national development, climate, and agricultural investment frameworks.
- Strengthening multi-sectoral governance and institutional coordination.
- Expanding access to differentiated finance for circular enterprises and MSMEs.
- Reforming extension services toward enterprise-oriented advisory support.
- Enhancing youth and women’s participation through profitable and inclusive business opportunities.
- Strengthening regional cooperation, WEFE nexus approaches, and continental positioning ahead of COP32.
To operationalise these commitments, delegates adopted an eight-point Action Note that includes publishing knowledge products, integrating circular food systems into climate and sector plans, embedding circular practices within public extension systems, developing financing mechanisms for MSMEs, strengthening youth and women’s entrepreneurship opportunities, linking CFS to basin-level WEFE initiatives, and developing a Phase II investment concept.
Scaling Up, Scaling Out and Scaling Deep
Reflecting on the Dialogue’s outcomes, FANRPAN CEO Dr Tshilidzi Madzivhandila emphasized that the future success of circular food systems depends on three interconnected dimensions of scaling:
- Scaling Up – influencing policies, strategies, and investment decisions.
- Scaling Out – expanding successful approaches beyond the current pilot countries and communities.
- Scaling Deep – ensuring long-term behavioural, institutional, and community-level transformation.
This framework resonated strongly with participants, who agreed that policy change alone is insufficient unless it is accompanied by broader adoption and sustained local ownership.
Addressing the Investment Challenge
The Dialogue also provided an honest reflection on the financing challenge facing the circular food systems agenda. While ACIAR reaffirmed its commitment to supporting innovation and learning, it acknowledged that efforts to secure additional funding for a new phase of the programme had not yet been successful. Participants agreed that the evidence base generated through the project is now strong, but translating that evidence into a compelling investment case for governments, development partners, and private financiers remains a priority.
Looking Ahead
As the Dialogue concluded, participants agreed on a clear set of next steps. These include publishing the Regional Policy Statement and knowledge briefs, developing country-specific policy integration pathways for NDC and NAP revision processes, positioning circular food systems as a flagship African climate adaptation solution at COP32, and mobilising partnerships and resources for a second phase of implementation.
The Dialogue closed with a shared recognition that the evidence for circular food systems is now compelling. The challenge ahead is no longer proving that circular approaches work, but ensuring that policies, institutions, financing mechanisms, and partnerships are aligned to scale their impact across Africa’s agri-food systems.