Platform for African – European Partnership in Agricultural Research for Development

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Africa Food Security Conference & Agri- Exhibition 2015

22-23 September 2015. Nairobi, Kenya. 3rd Annual – Africa Food Security Conference (AFSC) and Agri- Exhibition 2015. This 2 day conference established monitoring mechanisms to address the needs of a dynamic food security program. Poverty, climate change, food price hikes, water scarcity, land rights, fairer agricultural policies - all of these issues and more were addressed to ensure that better management of natural and financial resources and more strategic investment are implemented.

The Exhibition alongside the event show cased the latest technologies and other innovative products and solutions.

Extract of the program:

Agripreneurship in Africa

With about 65% of the total population of Africa below the age of 35 years, Africa leaders
need to set policies that encourage skills development to train the youth in different aspects
of agribusiness and ‘Agripreneurship’ along agriculture value chains. These strands will look
at opportunities that exist for setting up small industry that will create value-added products
from cereals, grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables and manage food wastage

Key Discussion Points

How best to incorporate smallholders into value chains – A smallholder participation case study
in an processed product value chain using orange-fleshed sweetpotato in Rwanda
Agricultural Mechanization for Africa: The Broad Application and The Missing Middle - The opportunities

Speakers
  • Temesgen Bocher, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, International Potato Centre (CIP), Nairobi
  • Pascal G Kaumbutho, Founder and CEO, Kenya Network for Dissemination of Agricultural Technologies
  • Ms. Anja Weber, Country Manager, SoilCares Ltd.
Innovative financing: promoting finance in agriculture
Increasing the Involvement of Corporate in Resolving Food Security Challenges
through financial inputs

Key Discussion Points
  • Agri Financing - Financing credits and agricultural subsidies- Where are the opportunities?
  • The role of private capital in sustainable agricultural investment
Speakers
  • Samuel Ndonga,Head of Agribusiness Banking, Chase Bank Kenya Limited
  • Fred Kiteng'e, Director of Lending , East and Southern Africa Root Capital
  • Yida Kemoli, Senior Partner, Phatisa
  • Anthony Gichini, Senior Investment Manager, Voxtra Foundation
Climate smart agriculture for Africa
Climate changes continue to exacerbate food security in Africa. Because farming is still small
scale in Africa, unsustainable forms of agriculture that are degrading the soil; water and
biological diversity are rampant. What climate change adaptation strategies must be put in
place to support food security and nutrition in Africa?

Key Discussion Points
  • Climate resilient maize for Africa’ -Evolution of the concept of climate-smart agriculture
  • Effective approaches to sustainable and renewable Water Management and Soil Fertility-
  • A necessary complement to the developments and distribution of better and more resilient Seeds.
  • 'Climate-Smart, Sustainable Agriculture for Food Security and Environmental Sustainability for Africa
Speakers
  • Biswanath Das, Scientist, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)
  • Dr. Edidah Ampaire, Scientist, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture
  • Zeyaur R. Khan ,Principal Scientist ,International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology
  • (ICIPE)
  • Dr. Anthony O. Esilaba ,Soil Scientist, Senior Principal Research Scientist and Programme,
  • Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO)
Enhancing the post harvest processes and marketability

In sub-Saharan Africa, more than a quarter of the food produced rots due to poor harvest
or storage techniques. To improve food security, the prevailing developmental view in
agriculture which focuses mainly on production must be expanded to include processing.
The development of the agro-processing industry is needed to improve fortification, nutrition
and health through better diet. Furthermore, to harness the full potentials of agro-processing
there must be a parallel growth of the other sub-sectors in the agribusiness system that
includes the input, production, marketing and support subsystems for maximum benefit.

Key Discussion Points
  • Regional Trade - is this the perfect antidote?
  • Creating Better Markets and Better Supply Chain and Delivery through regional cooperation
  • Advances and Emerging Technologies for Postharvest Storage Process and Food Handling.
Speakers
  • Argent Chuula, Chief Executive Officer, Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern
  • and Southern Africa (ACTESA)COMESA Secretariat
  • Dr. Josphert Kimatu,Lecturer, South Eastern Kenya University

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