PRESS RELEASE
22 September 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Formalising Regional Partnership on Agricultural Resilience
Nairobi, Kenya — 22 September 2026 -The Common Market for Eastern and SouthernAfrica (COMESA) Secretariat and Agriculture and Climate Risk Enterprise Limited (ACREAfrica) signed a Co-operation Agreement that formalises ACRE Africa’s mandate as a COMESA Specialised Agency, marking a new milestone in the two organisations’ partnership on agricultural resilience across the region. The signing follows the approval by the 46th COMESA Council of Ministers in December 2025 of ACRE Africa’s recognition as aCOMESA Specialised Agency. The recognition affirms ACRE Africa’s track record, innovation and impact in agricultural riskmanagement, having reached over 5.4 million farmers in more than 15 countries. It also endorses the trust COMESA, and its Member States have placed in ACRE Africa as a regionalleader in agricultural risk management and climate resilience.
As a COMESA Specialised Agency, ACRE Africa will serve as a technical partner toCOMESA Member States, supporting:
● The development of national agricultural insurance schemes
● Climate-smart risk management strategies
● Digital tools for last-mile access
● Capacity building for government agencies and private sector players
● Regional learning and innovation platforms
The agreement creates a stronger institutional platform for cross-border collaboration, resource mobilisation and joint programme development. It will enable ACRE Africa and COMESA to combine COMESA’s regional mandate and convening authority with ACRE Africa’s technical capabilities to develop scalable solutions that strengthen food systems, improve access to agricultural risk protection and build the resilience of smallholder farmers and agricultural
value chains.
ACRE Africa extends special recognition and heartfelt gratitude to ZEP-RE PTA Reinsurance, its anchor shareholder whose support was instrumental throughout the process. ZEP-RE’s longstanding relationship with COMESA, institutional leadership and strategic support provided ACRE Africa with an important foundation for advancing its recognition and formalising this partnership.
Chileshe Kapwepwe, Secretary General, COMESA –“This agreement reflects COMESA’s commitment to strengthening agricultural resilience and food security acrossour Member States. Formalising ACRE Africa as a COMESA Specialised Agency deepens our shared goal to protect farmers from climate risk.”
Ewan Wheeler, Chief Executive Officer, ACRE Africa – “This agreement gives ACRE Africa a clear institutional home within COMESA and strengthens our ability to scale climate risk protection for smallholder farmers across the region. We are grateful for COMESA’s partnership in getting us here.”
Following the signing, ACRE Africa and COMESA will now focus on operationalizing the partnership through joint workstreams covering institutional formalization, engagement with Member States on national agricultural insurance schemes, resource mobilization, and enhanced data analytics to support regional food systems.
About ACRE Africa
Agriculture and Climate Risk Enterprise Ltd. (ACRE Africa), a subsidiary of ZEP-RE PTA Reinsurance, is a data- and technology-driven risk management solutions designer that links stakeholders to localized solutions such as insurance and climate change adaptation strategies aimed at reducing agricultural and climate-related risks. Through advanced data and technology systems, ACRE Africa works to de-risk the agricultural value chain. Its solutions are tailored to local contexts, enabling different players to better understand risks across various stages of the farming enterprise. ACRE has physical presence in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, Nigeria and Zimbabwe and operations in 17 countries across Africa.
