The challenges for Africa are daunting. The United Nations estimates that Africa’s population will increase from today’s figure of around 1.1 billion, to approximately 1.6 billion people by 2030 and well over two billion by 2050. The rapid population increase, in combination with continued rapid urbanization and changing diets, creates new demands and new opportunities for African agriculture.
Smallholder farmers mainly rely on family labor and produce most of the food in Africa. They are also poor, vulnerable and under increasing pressure to grow more and better-quality food in a sustainable manner. To ensure future food security, these smallholder farms need to be supported and given opportunities so they can become more productive and profitable. Apart from connecting these smallholders to local markets, value chains and processing opportunities, innovations targeting smallholders will be crucial to raising agricultural productivity, improving rural livelihoods and increasing food security across Africa.
This seminar will discuss innovations for African smallholders and how to create favourable market conditions and institutional and policy environment that would empower farmers and foster change.
At the seminar you will hear from the world-renowned scientist Dr. Segenet Kelemu who is heading the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (Icipe), pioneering transformation and innovations in African agriculture.
Agenda:
10:00 Welcome and introduction
Måns Nilsson, SEI
10:10 Developing a bioeconomy strategy for East Africa
Dr. Ivar Virgin, SEI
10:30 Innovating farming in Africa: The role of Icipe
Dr. Segenet Kelemu, Icipe
11:00 Precision farming for African smallholders
Dr. Johanna Wetterlind, SLU
11:30 Soil information on different scales for smallholder farmers in Africa
Dr. Kristin Piikki, SLU
12:00 Intellectual property in support of agricultural innovation in Africa
Patrick Andersson, PRV
12:30 Panel discussion on agricultural innovation in Africa with the speakers
13:00 End of seminar
The registration to the seminar is now closed. Kindly note that the seminar will also be live-streamed above.