Power for Food Partnership

IKEA Foundation and SNV are partnering to strengthen the nexus of food and energy systems in Africa.

In many African countries, agri-food and energy systems currently operate in silos. The partnership seeks to remove these barriers and bring systems together—improving livelihoods and protecting the planet.

By accelerating the combined adoption of regenerative agriculture (RA) and the productive use of renewable energy (PURE), this initiative aims to drive systems transformation. It will do so by strengthening stakeholder engagement, supporting policy action, and fostering an enabling environment.

At the heart of the partnership is a nexus approach: a way of working that recognises how progress in one sector can unlock impact in another. The goal is to reduce trade-offs and amplify benefits across systems. Specifically, the initiative will focus on how regenerative agriculture and renewable energy can be brought together to strengthen local agri-food systems.

This approach requires collaboration among a constellation of stakeholders. By building partnerships and aligning efforts, we aim to transform systems not just in isolated areas—but at scale.

Vision

To achieve renewable energy-driven resilient food systems, where people have equitable opportunities to thrive sustainably.

Mission

To catalyse partnerships and strengthen capacities to transform the agri-food system in Eastern Africa by enabling ecosystem actors – in particular, smallholder farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises – to adopt regenerative practices powered by renewable energy.

The Partnership will shift from individual projects to a portfolio programming approach that supports systems change at both regional and global levels.

It will work through three interconnected pathways:

Learn

• Practice-based learning and evidence generation

• Harvesting cross-border knowledge exchange

• Embedding systems transformation mindsets

Link

• Action-oriented collaboration among system actors

• Nurturing RA-PURE nexus champions

• Convening regional and global partners towards joint RA-PURE agendas

Leverage

• Embedding approaches in policies and practice

• Influencing and leveraging new and existing investment opportunities

• Strengthening organisational capacities of local actors applying RA-PURE nexus approaches

Partnership scope

Power for Food is a multi-country partnership, starting in Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, and Ethiopia, with an initial five-year phase supported by €45 million in funding.

The Partnership will serve as an overarching programme, enabling SNV and its partners to sustain the expertise, relationships, and resources needed to achieve our RA-PURE nexus ambitions. It will also act as a platform to influence wider stakeholders, leverage additional funding, and shape behaviours to create a lasting movement.

The IKEA Foundation is supporting this programme to drive systemic change at the nexus of agri-food systems and renewable energy—aligning with its strategic direction to improve livelihoods and protect the planet.

Real change takes all of us. Join the movement to connect regenerative agriculture and renewable energy and help build a future where people have equitable opportunities to thrive sustainably - one that is renewable, regenerative, and resilient. For more information, contact jjacobs@snv.org.