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.
- 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
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.
This publication aims to support and promote the growth of the African Diaspora agrofood entrepreneurship ecosystem.
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.
Conclusion and recommendations
Women entrepreneurs engaged in food
processing in Africa, in particular the African Diaspora, have unique opportunities to improve nutrition by leveraging their positions to create healthier, locally sourced, and culturally relevant food products. For example, women-led businesses can focus on processing traditional, nutrient-dense foods that are often overlooked by large-scale industrial producers, such as indigenous grains, legumes, and vegetables. These women entrepreneurs can innovate by fortifying common foods with micronutrients like iron, vitamins, and
minerals to address local nutritional deficiencies, such as anemia or vitamin A deficiency.
Additionally, they can promote healthier alternatives to processed snacks by creating low-sugar, high-fiber, and nutrient-rich products that cater to local tastes. By using
local ingredients, women entrepreneurs can also support regional agriculture, boosting food security and encouraging sustainable farming practices. Furthermore, women-run food enterprises can serve as platforms for education, teaching communities about the benefits of nutritious eating and helping to shift consumer behavior towards healthier, more balanced diets. These efforts not only improve the nutrition of local populations but also empower women entrepreneurs to play a central role in shaping the health and economic landscape of their communities.
Highlight
A dedicated blogpost is forthcoming about Gamaal.
GAMAAL is a dynamic homecooked food app dedicated to connecting cultures through the universal language of food https://gamaal.co.uk/
No comments:
Post a Comment