On 10 April 2026, the Consortium for Sustainable Agrivoltaics (C4SA) Foundation and the OECD’s Development Centre, in collaboration with Akademiya2063 and the UN Joint SDG Fund, convened a full-day co-design workshop and launch event for the African Agrivoltaics Platform Initiative (AAPI) at OECD Headquarters in Paris, France. The event brought together a diverse coalition of stakeholders—including African government representatives, multilateral institutions, researchers, bankers, investors, farmers, business representatives and other experts to advance a shared vision for scaling agrivoltaics across Africa.
The workshop marked a critical milestone in building a coordinated, Africa-focused strategy to accelerate deployment and adoption of agrivoltaic approaches—integrated solutions that combine solar energy generation with agricultural production. Participants reviewed emerging evidence and African case studies demonstrating the potential of agrivoltaics to enhance climate adaptation and resilience, support agricultural viability, improve land-use efficiency, and support rural livelihoods, while contributing to improved energy access and decarbonization targets.
Discussions throughout the day highlighted both the promise and the challenges of scaling and financing agrivoltaics in African contexts. Key barriers identified include limited access to affordable financing, regulatory uncertainty, insufficient project pipelines, and gaps in technical capacity and data. Participants emphasized the importance of tailored policy frameworks, locally adapted and innovative financing mechanisms and system designs, targeted capacity-building, and stronger data and evidence-collection and analysis to inform decision-making.
A key focus of the workshop was the role of innovative financing approaches to stimulate both public and private investments in African agrivoltaics. Participants considered how a blended finance facility dedicated to African agrivoltaic projects can foster market development, looking at options for risk mitigation, technical assistance, and the stimulation of catalytic capital. There was broad consensus on the need for a coordinated financing mechanism capable of mobilizing public and private investments, supporting early-stage project development, and enabling scalable, bankable solutions that are relevant to the needs of African food and energy producers.
Martin Fregene, Director of Agriculture at the African Development Bank noted in a video-taped message that “agrivoltaics and the food-energy-water nexus approach is important, and one the Bank wishes to help scale.” He added that the African Development Bank “looks forward to supporting the African Agrivoltaics Platform Initiative as it looks to unlock finance to help move Africa toward food, energy and water security.”
The discussions and debate elicited general consensus on several foundational elements of the African Agrivoltaics Platform Initiative, including: (i) The Platform should serve as a supportive environment for member countries to demonstrate policy leadership and commitment to fostering viable agrivoltaics sectors; (ii) the governance structure should facilitate inputs and support to member governments from three separate working groups composed of various non-governmental partners (one each for evidence and capacity-building, project finance, and agri-solar business support. In general, consistent with the vision and aims of C4SA, the Platform should lead to the creation of a new asset class for African agrivoltaics, including active pipelines of bankable projects across diverse agricultural and ecological zones.
Engagement at the launch with African diplomatic missions and country representatives underscored strong interest in the Platform initiative. Governments highlighted the importance of aligning agrivoltaics with national development priorities, including food security strategies, energy transition plans, and various climate and other political commitments, as well as access to finance (public and private) for the agrivoltaics sector.
Members took note that G7 countries had committed in their 2024 Pescara Communique (para25) to “work towards specific G7-Africa partnerships for agrivoltaics investments that combine agriculture with solar photovoltaic energy production...” Attendees looked to France, in particular as it will lead the G7 during 2026 and co-host a France-Africa Summit in Kenya in early May, to take credible steps to follow through with the G7’s commitment to support the development of African agrivoltaics.
The workshop concluded with a formal launch of the African Agrivoltaics Platform Initiative accompanied by a call to action to join in this collaborative effort to unlock the potential of agrivoltaics at scale. Immediate next steps include outreach to African and other governments, consolidation and integration of public-private partnerships, refinement of the platform’s governance model, formation of its three supporting ‘working groups’, and mobilization of resources to support its secretariat and its operational implementation.
This Outcome Document serves as a public record of the workshop and key results, reflecting a shared commitment to advancing innovative, integrated solutions at the intersection of energy, agriculture, and sustainable development in Africa utilizing agrivoltaic approaches.
