EAC Launches 10-Year Investment Plan To Transform East Africa’s Agri-Food Systems

The East African Community has adopted a 10 year investment plan that could reshape how the region approaches agriculture, food security and agricultural trade over the coming decade. The EAC Regional Agri Food Systems Investment Plan 2026 to 2035 was adopted by the Council of Ministers as part of a wider package of measures intended to strengthen agricultural development and the resilience of East Africa’s food systems. Its priorities include agricultural infrastructure, climate resilience, digital technologies, agricultural finance and cross border trade. The significance of the plan lies in this combination. East Africa's agricultural challenge is no longer simply about producing more food. It is increasingly about whether the region can finance production, move commodities efficiently, reduce losses, process more of what it produces and create larger markets for agricultural businesses. Agriculture Is Becoming an Infrastructure Question For much of East Africa, agricultural productivity is constrained by infrastructure beyond the farm. Poor roads increase the cost of moving crops from producing areas to markets, while limited storage forces farmers to sell soon after harvest, often when prices are weakest. Inadequate irrigation also leaves large areas of farmland dependent on increasingly unpredictable rainfall. These constraints mean that production alone does not determine the value created by agriculture. A farmer can increase yields and still remain commercially vulnerable if the crop cannot reach the market at the right time and at a viable cost. A processor faces a similar problem when agricultural raw materials arrive inconsistently or deteriorate before reaching the factory. RASIP's emphasis on infrastructure therefore reflects a broader understanding of agricultural productivity. Roads, irrigation, storage, energy and logistics are not separate from agriculture. They determine whether agricultural production can become a commercially viable industry. Climate Resilience Is Becoming an Investment Priority Climate change is making this challenge more urgent. Droughts, floods and irregular rainfall are increasingly affecting crop production and livestock, with consequences that extend into food prices, household incomes and industrial processing. The EAC's decision to make climate resilience a core investment priority recognises that adaptation increasingly has an economic value. Irrigation can reduce dependence on rainfall. Better water management can protect production during dry periods. Climate information can help farmers make better planting decisions. This also changes the investment case for agricultural infrastructure. An irrigation project is not only about increasing production. It can reduce production risk. Storage is not only about keeping crops after harvest. It can help farmers avoid selling during periods of depressed prices. Digital Agriculture Opens a Wider Market Digital technology is another central component of the plan. Farmers and agribusinesses increasingly need access to market prices, weather information, financial services, production data and agricultural advisory services. The opportunity extends well beyond farming itself. A business connecting farmers with buyers is part of the agricultural economy. So is a company providing digital payments, farm management tools, irrigation technology or agricultural logistics. This creates a particularly important opportunity for younger entrepreneurs. Agriculture is becoming a much wider commercial sector, with opportunities in software, data, finance, inputs, logistics, storage and processing. A young business does not necessarily need to own a large farm to participate in the transformation of East Africa's food system. Finance Remains the Missing Link Agricultural finance remains one of the region's most persistent constraints. Farmers and agribusinesses often require capital on terms that conventional lenders are reluctant to provide because agricultural revenues are seasonal, equipment requires significant upfront investment and climate shocks can disrupt otherwise viable businesses. The inclusion of agricultural finance in RASIP therefore matters because the success of the other priorities will depend partly on access to capital. Irrigation cannot expand without financing. Processing facilities cannot be built without investment. Young agribusinesses cannot scale if working capital remains inaccessible. The regional framework does not itself solve the financing problem. Its value is in creating a common direction around which governments, banks, development finance institutions, insurers and private investors can structure agricultural financing programmes. Regional Trade Could Determine Who Captures the Value East Africa already has an interconnected food market. Agricultural commodities move across borders according to differences in production, prices and seasonal availability. Yet regulatory barriers, standards, border procedures and inconsistent national policies can make this trade more expensive and less predictable than it should be. Greater regional integration could change the economics of agricultural investment. A processor serving only one national market may struggle to justify expensive machinery and modern production facilities. A processor able to sell across the EAC has a much larger potential market and a stronger incentive to invest. This is where agricultural policy meets industrial policy. Regional trade can allow producers to specialise, processors to achieve scale and businesses to develop products for a market of hundreds of millions of consumers rather than treating each country as an isolated opportunity. What the Plan Means for Young Agribusinesses For young agripreneurs, the plan provides an indication of where policy attention and investment are likely to concentrate over the next decade. Irrigation, agricultural inputs, storage, logistics, agro processing, digital agriculture, financial services and climate resilient technologies are all areas where new businesses could emerge. The opportunity is particularly significant because many of these businesses do not require ownership of large agricultural estates. A company can create value by solving a problem between the farmer and the market. It can reduce transport costs, provide storage, connect producers with buyers, finance equipment or turn agricultural commodities into finished products. But the adoption of RASIP should not be confused with guaranteed investment. The real test will be implementation. National governments will need to translate regional priorities into budgets, infrastructure projects and regulatory reforms, while the EAC will need to ensure that regional commitments produce tangible improvements in the movement of agricultural goods and services. The Next Decade Will Be About Building Around the Farm The EAC's new investment plan reflects a wider shift in how East Africa is approaching agriculture. The region has spent decades focusing on how to increase agricultural production. The next phase will increasingly focus on what happens after production. A tonne of maize creates limited value when it is lost after harvest or sold immediately because a farmer lacks storage. Its economic value changes when it can be stored, financed, transported efficiently, processed and sold into a larger regional market. That is ultimately the significance of RASIP 2026 to 2035. It places the farm within a much larger economic system linking agriculture to infrastructure, finance, technology, manufacturing and trade. The next decade of East African agriculture will not be defined simply by how much the region produces. It will be defined by how much value the region can retain from what it produces. East Africa's agricultural opportunity is no longer just to grow more. It is to build more value around what it already grows. FAQ What is the EAC Regional Agri Food Systems Investment Plan 2026 to 2035? It is a 10 year regional framework adopted by the East African Community to guide investment and policy in agriculture and food systems between 2026 and 2035. What are the main priorities of the EAC agricultural investment plan? The plan prioritises agricultural infrastructure, climate resilience, digital technologies, agricultural finance and cross border trade. Why is the EAC investing in agricultural infrastructure? Infrastructure such as irrigation, roads, storage, energy and logistics directly affects agricultural productivity, post harvest losses, market access and the cost of moving food across the region. How does the plan address climate change? Climate resilience is one of the plan's core priorities. This includes investment in systems and technologies that can reduce agriculture's exposure to drought, floods, irregular rainfall and other climate related disruptions. What role will digital agriculture play in East Africa? Digital agriculture can improve access to market information, weather services, agricultural advice, financial services and production data. It can also create new businesses around farm management, payments, logistics and market access. Why is agricultural finance important to the plan? Farmers and agribusinesses often struggle to access capital because agricultural revenues are seasonal and production is exposed to climate and market risks. Expanding suitable agricultural finance is therefore necessary for investment in equipment, irrigation, processing and business expansion. How could the plan affect agricultural trade in East Africa? The plan places greater emphasis on cross border trade and regional value chains. Better integration could allow agricultural producers and processors to access larger markets and increase investment in value addition. What opportunities could the plan create for young agripreneurs? Potential opportunities include agricultural technology, irrigation, inputs, storage, logistics, agro processing, digital services, agricultural finance and climate resilient technologies. Has the EAC plan guaranteed funding for every agricultural project? No. The adoption of RASIP establishes a regional investment framework and priorities. Individual projects, financing commitments and implementation programmes will still depend on national governments, development partners, financial institutions and private investors. Why does the EAC agricultural investment plan matter for East Africa's food security? It recognises that food security depends on more than farm production. Infrastructure, finance, climate resilience, processing, storage and regional trade all determine whether agricultural output can become reliable food supplies and economically productive businesses.