The Role of Food Processing in Creating Markets and Reducing Losses for Smallholder Farmers in Africa

Michele McNabb, President, 

Partnership to Cut Hunger & 

Poverty in Africa

September 7, 2012. Washington, DC. The goal of this symposium was to highlight examples of how food processing can create markets for smallholder farmers and entrepreneurs, reduce food losses, improve nutrition, and meet changing food demand. The discussion will also focus on how public, private and civil sector organizations can facilitate the required innovative food technologies, business expertise and policy environment in Africa.

PANEL: Leveraging Appropriate Innovations for Food Processing and Market Development for Smallholder Farmers

1. Linking Farmers to Markets through Food Processing and Value Addition: Case studies from West Africa – Betty Bugusu, Managing Director, Purdue University’s International Food Technology Center, and Bruce Hamaker, Director & Professor, Purdue University’s International Food Technology Center. (DOWNLOAD PRESENTATION)
2. Cassava Processing and Market Development in Nigeria – Gbassey Tarawali, Project Manager for CEDP and MARKETS, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (via webinar). (DOWNLOAD PRESENTATION)
3. Strategies for Fast Tracking Market Developments for Food Products in Africa -Manjeet Chinnan, Professor of Food Engineering, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Georgia and Anna Resurreccion, Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Georgia. (DOWNLOAD PRESENTATION)
4. Food Processing and Value Addition: Case Studies from Partners in Food Solutions - Jeff Dykstra, Executive Director, Partners in Food Solutions (via webinar). (DOWNLOAD PRESENTATION)
5. Scaling Up Public-Private Investments for Food Processing and Value Addition – Jacklyn Claxton, Private Sector Advisor, Bureau for Food Security, USAID. (DOWNLOAD PRESENTATION)