By Ify Mgbemena
The Chief Executive Officer of the Pan-African Farmers’ Organisation (PAFO), Dr. Babafemi Oyewole, has been appointed as a leading player in the Global Council of the World Agriculture Forum (WAF), marking a significant milestone for African farmer representation in global agricultural policy discourse.
Dr. Oyewole’s appointment reflects his extensive experience in agricultural development, agribusiness leadership, and farmer-focused policy advocacy across Africa.
As CEO of PAFO, he leads a continental network representing over 80 million African farmers, working to strengthen farmer organisations, promote inclusive agribusiness, and advance sustainable food systems.
The PAFO CEO brings to the Council a strong background in tri-sector leadership, having previously served as Chief Executive Officer of the African Agribusiness Alliance and the African Cashew Alliance, both based in Accra, Ghana.
He is also a member of the Steering Committee of the IFAD-facilitated Global Farmers’ Organisation Forum, where he represents PAFO in shaping global farmer engagement.
However, the World Agriculture Forum is a global platform that convenes governments, farmers’ organisations, agribusinesses, experts and development institutions to advance sustainable agricultural development.
Through policy advocacy, trade facilitation and technology-driven solutions, WAF aims to bridge implementation gaps and drive food systems transformation, with a strong focus on smallholder farmers, agricultural value chains and public-private partnerships.
Dr. Oyewole’s inclusion on the WAF Global Council is expected to strengthen Africa’s voice in shaping global agricultural policies and reinforce efforts toward building resilient, inclusive and food-secure systems worldwide.
