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Public funding alone is not enough to achieve the SDGs by 2030. Development and international financing institutions must collaborate more strategically to leverage private investments. That was the overarching message from the Global Forum on Responsible Private Sector Investment in Food and Agriculture held in Marrakesh, Morocco, in October 2018.

The event, supported by the European Union and organized by the EBRD and FAO, brought together over 200 investors, business leaders, representatives from multilateral development institutions, policy-makers and government officials from Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Food and agriculture systems face daunting challenges – from producing more with less to feed a growing planet and shrinking the sector’s carbon footprint, to creating decent employment opportunities, especially for youth in developing countries.

One encouraging trend – already visible in the agriculture sector – is impact investing, in which private investors are putting their money behind initiatives that generate profits alongside social and environmental impacts.

The Forum also made a strong case for greater investment in innovation. New digital technologies are improving agricultural productivity, lowering carbon emissions and making better use of the earth’s natural resources. They are also making information more accessible to small-scale producers across the globe.

While the private sector is largely driving the development of such technologies, the public sector can help facilitate their adoption and keep an eye on technologies with the power to bring about positive outcomes, especially for small-scale farmers and SMEs.

Other discussions at the Forum focused on the private sector’s views on investing in emerging markets and managing risks in value chain financing, and on the importance of making agrifood systems greener and more inclusive, especially for women and youth.