8th African Diaspora Agrofood Forum

8 November 2024. African Diaspora Agrofood Forum

The African Diaspora Agrofood Forum, offers a platform for African diaspora agrofood entrepreneurs, stakeholders and interested members of the public to convene, exchange ideas, explore opportunities for growth in the agrofood sector and experience African food innovations.

Key highlights of the event include:

• Expert Panels and Keynote Speeches: Hear from leading experts and thought leaders on current trends, challenges, and opportunities within the African agrofood sector.
• Workshops and Training Sessions: Participate in interactive workshops designed to enhance skills and knowledge in various aspects of agrofood production, marketing, and consumption.
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  Networking Opportunities: Connect with peers, professionals, investors, and policymakers to build strategic partnerships and collaborations.
  
• Exhibition: Explore the 2 days exhibition fair and taste innovative agrofood products
• Presentation of the African Diaspora agrofood entrepreneur of the year award and the annual compendium of African diaspora agrofood entrepreneurs

The ADAF 2024 partners include Sankaa vzw, European Union Global Diaspora Facility(EUDIF), ENABEL, COLEAD, EU Impetus Accelerator Program, Zidi Circle, Alefa Diaspora and others.

Policy Dialogue Panel: Facilitating Innovative Agrofood Entrepreneurship; African Diasporas and the 2030 Agenda

This panel discussed the role of the African Diaspora in driving innovative agrofood entrepreneurshipthat aligns with the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The panel was moderated by GFAiR.

Policy makers, experts and entrepreneurs discussed how to create policies that foster growth, sustainability and opportunity in agrofood sectors across Africa and its diaspora.

2024 African Diaspora Agrofood Entrepreneur of the year

Entrepreneurship is deeply intertwined with the migration stories of African diasporas, particularly in the agrofood sector. Over the years, many in the diaspora have harnessed their resources to launch agrofood projects, which often go unrecognized in mainstream development narratives and data. To spotlight these efforts, the African Diaspora Agrofood Entrepreneur of the Year award was conceived, honoring those making significant impacts in the sector.

• In 2022, this prestigious award, organized by The Food Bridge, was presented to Mr. Cyril Sanjoh, a Cameroonian entrepreneur revolutionizing the international agrifood landscape. His company, Sansusa, registered as a Common Initiative Group (CIG) in 2014, is committed to sustainable farming practices, producing a diverse range of crops and livestock.
• In 2023, Mr. Alpha Diallo, founder of Africapaid, received the award for his innovative work at WELLI Farm in Senegal. His farm addresses food security challenges by focusing on fruit, vegetable, and dairy production while supporting the local community. Diallo’s approach is especially notable for his collaboration with local women, who collect farm produce on credit and sell it at markets, keeping 100% of the profits.

Resource: 2024 Compendium of African Diaspora Agrofood Forum

This publication aims to support and promote the growth of the African Diaspora agrofood entrepreneurship ecosystem. It is featuring African diaspora agrofood entrepreneurs based in Europe, who operate businesses in Africa, the Caribbean, or Europe. Selected entrepreneurs will be highlighted in this year's edition.