Agnes Kalibata

Agnes Matilda Kalibata is a Rwandan agricultural scientist and policymaker, and president of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).She served as Rwanda's minister of agriculture and animal resources from 2008 to 2014 and began her tenure as president of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) in 2014.

Quotes

• We need to make sure that the market is available, to make agriculture attractive. And I think that’s the biggest gap to date that we see. With a good market, people will invest in research, in improving the sector. In getting better yields. But the market has to pay.
  • [1]
• this is the time to strengthen the resilience that already exists amongst us including regeneration capacity, community social safety nets, diversified food and income sources.
  • [2]
• Africa is a diverse continent with multiple ecological zones and profiles, cultures, farming systems and people. Embracing this diversity through the use and integration of Indigenous knowledge, generating and using context-specific evidence to design and implement programs, is key to ensuring we have sustainable food systems and would ensure greater success of the future food system.
  • [3]
• Improving availability of technologies and functional markets for Africa’s women can be a game changer given that women are involved in the production of ~70% of Africa’s food! Inclusion of women in more equitable ways – in the way they access, use and benefit from improved technologies – has huge potential to stabilize and build resilience in our food systems.
  • [4]
• “the UN’s Food Systems Chief, on How Science Can Transform Farming to Help Save the Planet”
  • Agnes Kalibata, the UN’s Food Systems Chief, on How Science Can Transform Farming to Help Save the Planet TIME Magazine interview ( 28 January 2021)
• “The key to Africa’s prosperity? Cultivating ‘agropreneurs’”
  • The key to Africa’s prosperity? Cultivating ‘agropreneurs’ Los Angeles Times (26 May 2016)
• Africa improved food is now purchasing from over 350,000 farmers…that’s the signal you want because that farmer will go and purchase seed, that means businesses like seed companies will survive.”
  • Dr. Agnes Kalibata Advocates for Strengthened African Food Systems at the 54th World Economic Forum Kilimo Kwanza ( 17 January 2024)
• Most countries that do a lot of first-class agriculture put huge subsidies on the agricultural sector in a way that makes it possible for people to do farming.” And: “The reason young people don’t want to get (into agriculture) is because it is not paying. They will not go into anything that doesn’t pay.”
  • AGRA boss Agnes Kalibata pins hope on green revolution as she exits after 10 years National Africa (27 October 2024)
• “Climate change is quickly becoming the most significant challenge facing our planet, and I am committed to working with other partners and stakeholders to address this critical issue.
  • Rwanda: Kalibata Appointed to COP28 President's Advisory Committee on Climate Change AllaAfrica (17 May 2023)
• Because we’re a small institution and we don’t have a whole lot of money, we focus on trying to be catalytic.”
  • Born in Rwanda, raised in Uganda as a refugee, Agnes Kalibata is changing African farming Agra food system ( 24 April 2023)
• “Agriculture is how I got here. Agriculture sustained my family, but it was not about food. It got my family out of poverty.”
  • Dr. Agnes Kalibata: Possibilities that become real in Africa through agriculture Kilimo kwanza ( 29 April 2019 )
• “Be prepared to work hard but also be prepared to do the hard stuff.”
  • SciDev: Q&A: Women must ‘do the hard Agra Food System (2 March 2021)
• “We need to make sure that the market is available, to make agriculture attractive. And I think that’s the biggest gap to date that we see. With a good market, people will invest in research, in improving the sector. In getting better yields. But the market has to pay.” Agra Food Systems
  • Born in Rwanda, raised in Uganda as a refugee, Agnes Kalibata is changing African farming Agra Food system ( 24 April 2023)
• Africa’s food systems have become fragile because they are highly vulnerable to climate change and, as a result, to all sorts of shocks.
  • Dr. Agnes Kalibata: To reverse runaway climate change and build resilient societies we need to transform food systems agneskalibata.org (22 November 2022)
• “Women will perform as well as men if they are given the right education, incentives, access to financing, property and land. … Empowering women is empowering a nation.”
  • Rwandan Official Calls for Greater Equality for Women Voice of America (2 November 2009)
• I reflect with immense pride on our transformative journey over the past ten years
  • Agnes Kalibata completes her tenure at AGRA The News Time ( October 07 2025 )