Africa Launches New Data Analytics Initiative

DAFMA initiates to empower African food markets with the help of professional data analytics and open-source decision-support platforms.

One significant move to transform the food systems of Africa was made by the introduction of the Data Analytics for Food Markets in Africa (DAFMA) initiative. The program, spearheaded by the Friedman School of Tufts University and Euromonitor International, will empower food businesses with superior data analytics applications that open up the markets and enable making more robust decisions.

The Gates Foundation funds DAFMA, which concentrates on creating open-source data analytics solutions for African markets. The initiative is aimed at assisting businesses to satisfy increased consumer need for healthier and cheaper diets as well as enhancing supply chain resiliency within the continent.

The team at Euromonitor has observed that with enhanced data analytics, the companies will be in a better position to understand the attributes of products, sourcing trends, and pricing strategies involved in sustainable growth in the competitive food industry.

The consortium was started virtually in November 2025, and there are over 90 members already in 13 countries, and more participants are expected to join in 2026. The members will work together on insights, market intelligence and how to develop new software tools that will be applicable in food markets in real-world environments.

The researchers stressed that by means of this effort, the sale of nutrient-rich foods will increase, and food systems will change based on an evidence-based approach.