The African Development Bank forecasts that Africa's food and agriculture market could grow from $280 billion annually to $1 trillion by 2030. However, the sector still combats climate change, post-harvest losses, limited resource access, a production deficit, inadequate access to reliable, coordinated, specialised, and relevant information, limited media coverage of farming issues, and inefficient practical advocacy efforts to influence policy and investments.

$1T Projected Market by 2030
3,000+ Monthly Reach

The Power of Communication

Communication and advocacy remain critical assets to food systems transformation. The "Voices for Sustainable Food Systems and Quality of Life (VFL)" tackles such challenges by leveraging communication, media, and advocacy for enhanced productivity, food security, sustainability, and holistic societal well-being.

Three Interlinking Facets

The VFL approach involves three interlinking facets that work together to create comprehensive impact:

1

Awareness

Increasing understanding, knowledge, or consciousness about particular issues affecting food systems and agricultural productivity.

2

Advocacy

Designing and implementing strategic messaging to inform, educate, and influence decision-making at all levels.

3

Behaviour Change

Influencing adoption by addressing knowledge, attitudes, and practices within communities and stakeholder groups.

Key Objectives

CoELIB's Sectoral Transformational Interventions

  1. Raising awareness about food security challenges and solutions
  2. Strengthening stakeholder collaboration across food systems
  3. Uniting science, technology, and indigenous knowledge to scale best practices
  4. Influencing policy in favour of inclusive and sustainable food systems
  5. Empowering local communities with actionable information
  6. Strengthening ownership and agency in food system transformation

Strategies and Multi-Platform Engagement

VFL employs a comprehensive multi-platform approach to reach diverse audiences across Africa:

šŸŽ„ Digital Platforms & Reach

Through CoELIB TV, Radio, and the inFocus Newsletter, VFL programming reaches more than 3,000 local and international viewers and listeners per month.

CoELIB TV CoELIB Radio inFocus Newsletter YouTube Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn

Tools and Technologies

  • Multi-platform engagement ā€“ CoELIB TV, Radio, and inFocus Newsletter strengthen agri- and food-system-focused communication and media
  • Digital spaces ā€“ YouTube, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and WhatsApp create spaces where stakeholders engage for greater impact multiplicity
  • Artificial Intelligence tools ā€“ Live chatbots, call centres, and automated response systems relay information about cross-cutting issues affecting agricultural productivity within local contexts
  • Community forums ā€“ Voices and scientific conventions strengthen advocacy and agency in food system sustainability using local languages and cultural contexts
  • Partnership upscaling ā€“ Engaging leading media outlets in dissemination and outreach interventions while serving as critical sustainability tools for scaled advocacy

Resource Bank and Stakeholder Network

VFL benefits from a resourceful bank of business incubation and market development, technical assistance and consulting, and research, development, and commercialisation initiatives implemented by CoELIB and stakeholders across more than 49 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

The VFL framework encompasses various stakeholders, including universities, researchers, farmers, decision-makers, the public, and the private sector, forming a resourceful pool of evidence for developing sustainable food systems.

Key Outcomes

Expected Impact

VFL seeks to achieve:

  • Increased stakeholder awareness and knowledge on climate resilience, food systems development, and agricultural productivity
  • Measurable behaviour change within living labs, digital communities, and other agri-based platforms
  • Enhanced stakeholder engagement and science, technology, and indigenous knowledge linkages
  • Policy influence for long-term improvements in the quality of life across communities
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Sharjah Government Communication Award 2025

VFL was recently recognised at the Sharjah Government Communication Award (SGCA 2025) on 11th September 2025 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for its creativity and effectiveness in empowering and informing communities towards a more sustainable and inclusive future.

VFL empowers and informs communities towards a more sustainable and inclusive future through strategic communication, media engagement, and advocacy.

A Model for Food System Communication

The VFL initiative demonstrates how strategic communication and advocacy can serve as powerful catalysts for food system transformation. By combining traditional media with digital platforms, AI-powered tools, and community engagement, VFL creates a comprehensive ecosystem for knowledge sharing and behavior change.

The recognition at the Sharjah Government Communication Award validates this innovative approach and positions VFL as a model for food system communication initiatives across Africa and beyond.