VENUE: Cape Town International Convention Centre (ICC)
Research at IIED has shown that agriculture makes up approximately 65% of Africa’s labour force and 35% of the continent’s GDP. The agriculture sector’s capacity to help realize major continental development priorities is beyond doubt. However, the agricultural industry in many African countries and communities has been unable to meet its full productivity potential as an employer, a fair distributor of income and a national revenue earner
To realize the full potential of agriculture in Africa, there is an urgent need from African government authorities, farmers, agriculture economists, extension officers, commodity traders, banks, asset managers, agriculture engineers and biotechnologists, NGOs, etc. “to find common tools, strategies and approaches that can help up the game… prioritizing agriculture is not just the moral to do. It’s an economic imperative” commented Dr. Agnes Kalibata, President of AGRA and former Rwandan Minister of Agriculture. Establishing a sustainable, well-funded agriculture supply chain system, informed by insights from agriculture economists, engineers, biotechnologists and extension officers and an organized marketplace, where buyers and sellers come together to trade agriculture commodity-related contracts following rules set by the exchange, agricultural commodities exchanges should be seen as the key drivers of agricultural development in Africa.
Among some of the issues that will be discussed are;
The increasing role of agriculture in fostering economic growth, reducing poverty, and improving food security in Africa
Why sustainable agriculture and farming is important for the wellbeing of Africa
Strategies for increasing crop yields with sustainable farming practices
The opportunities and challenges of the development and application of modern agricultural biotechnology
Biotechnologies and the Legal aspects of their implementation in agriculture
How technologies can yield new growth in modern agriculture and farming activities
Click here for further information: International Sustainable Agriculture Production, Biotechnology & Engineering Conference