Platform for African – European Partnership in Agricultural Research for Development

Friday, November 20, 2020

Virtual agrofood & plastprintpack Africa (Germany)

23—26 November 2020. Virtual agrofood & plastprintpack Africa. 

The Germany based organiser fairtrade messe, is behind the leading agrofood & plastprintpack trade shows in Algeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Kenya and Nigeria launched a new event Virtual agrofood & plastprintpack Africa.

The four-day digital event is to provide a platform for valuable business contacts between leading global manufacturers and top buyers from the African agrofood & plastprintpack industry. It offers an AI-backed matchmaking platform. Every exhibitor has his profile and logo and the picture of his stand rep as part of his virtual booth from which he can show corporate videos, showcase his products, talk to his visitors via instant video calls, live stream product demos and much more. For visitors, the event is free to attend.

The events are designed to capture the situation in Algeria & the Maghreb, Egypt, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast & West Africa as well as Ethiopia, Kenya & East Africa.

“Virtual agrofood & plastprintpack Africa is a direct response to what our trade visitor
network has told us they need – an opportunity to meet with suppliers, source new products, network with existing and new business contacts as well as a place to be inspired and learn. All this on an African scale. We are delighted to build on our 30 years of experience as organisers of agrofood & plastprintpack events to create a digital platform that serves the African and global community in these unprecedented times.” 
Paul Maerz, Managing Director at fairtrade
A huge market: Facts and figures on Africa’s agrofood & plastprintpack imports
  • agro: To diversify Africa’s economies and revive its rural areas, the African Development Bank (AfDB) has committed US$ 24 billion towards agricultural industrialization. According to the German Engineering Federation VDMA, Africa's agricultural machinery imports amount to well over one and a half billion euros annually.
  • food + beverages technology: Imports of food processing & packaging technology account for €2.977 billion in 2018, after €2,801 billion in 2017 (+6.3%). This puts Africa on a par with Southeast Asia’s €2.893 billion, but well ahead of South America’s €1.843 billion, Central America’s €1.775 billion and the Middle East’s €1.678 billion. (VDMA)
  • food ingredients: With 1.3 billion inhabitants, Africa has long been one of largest food markets in the world. Expenditure in the food + beverages sector is growing steadily and food + beverages production is by far the largest segment of the African processing industry.
  • food + hospitality: According to the African Development Bank, Africa’s annual food imports are estimated to rise from US$ 35 billion to US$ 110 billion by 2025.
  • plastics: Africa is a huge importer of plastics in primary forms. Imports of plastics raw materials grew by 5.9% annually between 2011 and 2017, from 4,220 kt to 5,939 kt, +41%. (Euromap) Africa’s imports of plastics technology made up for €997.132 million in 2018. This places Africa well ahead of South America’s €722.052 million and the Middle East’s €671.256 million. (VDMA)
  • print: Africa’s imports of printing & paper processing technology represent €733 million in 2018. This ranks the continent well ahead of South America’s €680 million, Central America’s €669 million and the Middle East’s €634 million. (VDMA)
  • packaging: Africa’s imports of packaging technology make up for €1.367 billion in 2018. This puts Africa on a par with Southeast Asia’s €1.303 billion, but well ahead of South America’s €952 million, Central America’s €860 million and the Middle East’s €851 million.
Extract from the program:
  • Henrik Schmidtke Project Manager GIZ Kenya 
  • Johanna Schwarzer Trade fair organization & Expert Africa | Worldwide VDMA Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Attendees 
  • Partnership with Miyonga (Kenya)

    Over the last three years, Miyonga has been exporting fresh fruits and vegetables to Europe. Experience approximately 30 to 40% of all fruits and vegetables they receive from farmers is rejected and goes to wasted due to growing of unfavorable varieties, lack of certification and cosmetics. The rejects have just as much nutrients as the perfect fruit. The rejects lead to loss of income to farmer and a loss of the natural resources used to produce the product.

    To address food waste, Miyonga trains smallholder farmers on suitable varieties to grow adoption of modern agricultural practices that lead to certification this increasing access to market, and uses innovative agro processing technology to create value added fresh products with high market demand and higher market value for export and local consumption, thus reducing food waste.

    This is under our CSR program known as Wheeling Fruits. Wheeling fruits is all about valorising surplus fruits and vegetable into powder and dried fruits using a mobile fruit processor.

  • Babatunde Okoya CEO/Managing Director Lange and Grant Commodities Ltd 
24/11 Ethiopia's food & beverage industry
  • GTAI Germany Trade and Invest correspondent Ulrich Binkert - Manager, Germany Trade & invest - presents his latest study on the Ethiopian market 

  • Fiona Nambaziira Luswata - CEO Garnet Consult, Founder Kustawi Africa
25/11 Financing opportunities for agritech startups
  • Charles Anyanwu A.g. Director, Strategy, Funding and Stakeholder Management Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) 
  • Emem Essien COO Crop2Cash 
  • Osasenaga Enogieru Partnership Lead Impact Hub
  • Olumide Lawson Executive Director Sahel Capital Agribusiness Managers Limited 
  • Opeyemi Olutayo Sector Head, Agric Business Group Access Bank Plc 
  • Sebastian Barroso da Fonseca Head of German Desk Access Bank Plc.

25/11 Beyond simple supports: responsible business creates added value
  • Immaculate Otieno Technical Advisor PPP GIZ Kenya
25/11 The impacts of AfCFTA for the agrofood and plast/print/pack industry in Ethiopia
  • Goodluck Obi Partner & Head, Consumer & Industrial Markets KPMG 
  • Mathew Ojo Assistant Director Research and Advocacy Lagos State Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI)


The new Africa Business Network established by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy provides comprehensive consulting services and assistance, especially for German small and medium-sized enterprises wishing to set up business operations in Africa. The network is composed of the established actors and programmes of German foreign trade and investment promotion, such as the network of bilateral chambers of industry and commerce (in German), Germany Trade & Invest, the Market Development Programme, and the export initiatives of the Federal Economic Affairs Ministry. It also includes federations, associations and institutions with a focus on Africa.
  • Britta Ziemann Head of Coordination Office Africa Business Network
26/11 The digital transformation of agriculture in Nigeria 
  • Foluke Akinbiyi Sales & Marketing Manager Drone 9ja 
  • Kola Masha Executive Director Babban Gona Farmer Services 
  • Mevis Ayieju CEO M.E Solutions


26/11 Supply chain challenges and opportunities in coffee value chains: The case of Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Uganda 
  • Alexandria Akena Content Manager | Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania Asoko Insight

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