WEBINAR: Impact of Covid -19 on African Diaspora agrofood entrepreneurs

29 May 2020. Webinar:  'Doing Business in Post COVID-19 Agrofood Sector'

Organised by: The Food Bridge vzw African Diaspora Projects Initiative Pantheonlaan 14, Koekelberg Brussels Belgium info@thefoodbridge.org 

Learn from Mr Jeremy Knops, DG Coleacp: the expertise and support COLEACP can provide for agrofood entrepreneurs.

The most important points noted were that for Africans Diaspora agrofood Entrepreneurs, the impact of this crisis is stronger because most of the projects are self financed. Many of entrepreneurs are still paying staff even when they are not having an income from their agrofood projects. For the entrepreneurs it is not just about business but about supporting their communities. Some of the entrepreneurs also have loans and grants that they are paying back but with no sales, this brings an added challenge.

African Diaspora Entrepreneurs are also anticipating more challenges post COVID-19 because they do not envisage support from European or African governments or access to any subsidies.
Access to markets for African Diaspora agrofood entrepreneurs and also the small holder farmers they support is also jeopardized, leaving them with unsold produce. Thus highlighting the need for green energy to enable entrepreneurs preserve their produce. There will be a full report , noting the different contributions.

Regarding the need for a platform for African Diaspora agrofood Entrepreneurs, The Food Bridge has been working on this for sometime now and hopefully, it will be ready by the summer.