Conrad Rein discusses the Global Flagship Initiative for Food Security, focusing on scaling solutions, public-private partnerships, and empowering small-scale farmers to address global hunger.
Conrad Rein is the Secretary of the Global Flagship Initiative for Food Security, hosted by The Crop Trust. He was also a Co-Chair of the GDPRD from 2020 to 2023.
Secretariat/Michelle Tang: Congratulations on joining the Crop Trust as the Head of the Global Flagship Initiative for Food Security. How do you envision accelerating the global response to food insecurity, particularly in regions like the Sahel?
Conrad Rein/Global Flagship Initiative for Food Security: I believe we must prioritize Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2). This requires setting aside geopolitical differences and bringing together the right stakeholders globally to address the central challenge: ensuring food security and, ultimately, improving the lives of people in need.
The Global Flagship Initiative for Food Security originally centred on the Sahel. During discussions last June at the headquarters of the Arab Gulf Program for Development (AGFUND) in Riyadh, we broadened the scope to consider the Sahel in a wider regional context. Then, following the UN Science Summit in New York, the Initiative quickly scaled globally – with new members joining from China, India, Europe, and Central America.
Still, the founding members – especially those from the Arab Coordination Group, including AGFUND, the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), the Islamic Development Bank, and the OPEC Fund – have emphasized that around 75% of investments should remain targeted toward Africa. In particular, the IGAD and Sahel regions demand urgent and focused attention. That’s where we believe our efforts can have the most immediate and transformative impact.
Public-private partnerships are central to this model. At the request of the Arab Coordination Group, we’ve made private sector engagement a core pillar – not just in rhetoric, but in practice.
Michelle: The Initiative prioritizes science-driven solutions and public-private partnerships. How are these partnerships being leveraged to ensure scalability and sustainability of the interventions you’re promoting?
Conrad: The Initiative has grown rapidly – just in the past two weeks, we’ve welcomed around ten new members from across the globe. Initially, we worked closely with the University of Chicago’s Innovation Commission on research. As the Initiative expanded, our focus has increasingly turned toward inclusivity, ensuring that voices from Africa, Asia, the Gulf, Latin America, and Europe play a central role in shaping our direction. We’re prioritizing a more collaborative, bottom-up approach to ensure diverse perspectives are at the table.
Public-private partnerships are central to this model. At the request of the Arab Coordination Group, we’ve made private sector engagement a core pillar – not just in rhetoric, but in practice. For years, there’s been recognition of the private sector’s potential, but we haven’t seen that involvement scale meaningfully. This Initiative is changing that. We’re focused on promoting cost-effective, evidence-based innovations that are designed to scale – solutions that can reach millions and deliver real impact.
At the Nutrition for Growth Summit in Paris, a major theme was making the business case – not just to attract private investment, but to demonstrate that tackling hunger is both a moral and economic imperative. That alignment between science, policy, and market-based solutions is what will drive long-term sustainability.
Smallholder farmers are at the heart of the Initiative – and within that group, we’re placing a particular focus on women.
Michelle: What role do smallholder farmers play in the success of the Initiative, and what support will be provided to ensure they thrive in the face of climate-related challenges?
Conrad: Smallholder farmers are at the heart of the Initiative – and within that group, we’re placing a particular focus on women. Several members of the Arab Coordination Group have committed to directing the majority of their agricultural investments toward women, youth, and people with disabilities. That commitment goes beyond rhetoric: they’re actively operating microfinance banks across nine countries to support these groups.
The support is multi-faceted. It includes access to finance, training, and tools that empower smallholders not just to farm more effectively, but to build sustainable agribusinesses. The goal is to help them become entrepreneurs, role models, and catalysts for broader community transformation – especially as they navigate increasing environmental pressures, shifting weather patterns, and resource constraints.
Michelle: Looking ahead to events like the Fourth Financing for Development Conference in June 2025, what are your priorities in advocating for increased funding and strengthening global commitment to evidence-based, science-driven interventions for food security?
Conrad: Our priority is clear: we need to invest in cost-effective, evidence-based solutions that deliver real impact. One of the key challenges we face is demonstrating measurable progress to funders and partners. Fortunately, with the widespread availability of smartphones, we now have simple tools to track, document, and share results in real time – from the field to the global stage.
Our approach includes pilot projects, which are a key component of the Initiative. These pilots allow us to test and refine solutions. When they prove successful, we focus on scaling them both regionally and globally. The Flagship Initiative is not confined to pilots; it also encompasses a broader commitment to scaling cost-effective, evidence-based solutions that can be replicated across regions.
Our priority is clear: we need to invest in cost-effective, evidence-based solutions that deliver real impact.
Michelle: With your experience as Co-Chair of the Donor Platform, what are the potential convergence points for collaboration?
Conrad: I’ve always been a strong advocate for the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development (GDPRD). If it didn’t already exist, we would need to create it, because it’s essential to have a mechanism where donors in this space can coordinate, exchange information, and ideally align their programming.
Looking ahead, I’d like to see the GDPRD become more inclusive of non-traditional donors, such as the Islamic Development Bank and other similar organizations. It’s critical to bring these voices to the table, especially as the global landscape continues to evolve. We need to stay forward-looking and adaptable.
When it comes to the Flagship Initiative, the focus is on delivering impact for the people on the ground. This is another pillar of the Flagship: achieving measurable, tangible results. At the Desertification COP16 in Riyadh, we not only launched the Initiative but also announced funding for our first two projects in Niger and Ethiopia.
Ultimately, it’s about impact. We can’t afford to wait years – people are struggling, and communities are suffering. We need fast decision-making and timely investments to make a difference now.
