- Kenya is set to host the 6th edition of Africa Agri Expo in February 2023 amidst dwindling growth in the Agricultural sector.
- The expo is aimed at bringing the entire agricultural value chain under one roof and open up a vibrant platform for agribusiness experts.
- Some of the key areas of focus during the event include irrigation, crop protection, technology, food safety & security, mechanisation, investment opportunities as well as government policies.
Kenya is set to host the 6th edition of Africa Agri Expo in February 2023 amidst dwindling growth in the agricultural sector.
The expo which has been endorsed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development is aimed at bringing the entire agricultural value chain under one roof and open up a vibrant platform for agribusiness experts, top global companies, key policymakers and other stakeholders to explore the commercial opportunities in the continent through effective meetings and networking sessions and also increasing agribusiness opportunities for smallholder farmers in the region.
The move comes as Kenya’s agricultural sector continues to register contraction attributable to poor weather.
The sector recorded a 0.6 percent contraction in Q3’ 2022 compared to a corresponding expansion of 0.6 percent growth in Q3’ 2021 but an improvement from preceding contractions of 2.1 percent and 0.7 percent recorded in Q2’ 2022 and Q1’ 2022, respectively according to the Cytonn Annual Market Review.
The contraction during the quarters is attributable to unfavorable weather conditions witnessed during the period, as well as increased costs of agricultural inputs such as fertilizer.
The region’s leading agricultural 2-day event – AAE 2023 will happen on 8th February to 9th February at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) and is designed to provide solutions to farmers, agribusiness professionals, agronomists and government representatives.
Some of the key areas of focus during the event include irrigation, crop protection, technology, food safety & security, mechanisation, investment opportunities as well as government policies.
The event themed ‘A Gateway to Agribusiness in Africa‘ will highlight the advancements in technologies for agriculture value chain, food security, nutrition, crop protection, water management and ways to mitigate post-harvest losses in Africa through the sustainable use of machines and technology as well as boosting productivity and profitability of farmers.
TAB Group’s (Organizers) Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Tahir A. Bari, says the event will bring together African & Global agriculture professionals to explore the market, introduce new products, innovations, tech advancements, high yield solutions and address the storage, supply chain and distribution issues in the region.
“In addition to the excellent networking and exhibiting opportunities, this event will also facilitate a comprehensive conference featuring panel discussions, Q&A sessions and keynotes from regional and global industry experts and policymakers. Reforms in agriculture regulations and policies, agro chemical advances, irrigation & mechanization, warehousing and distribution solutions, investment opportunities and disruptive technologies transforming Africa’s Agribusiness industry will be the core topics of discussions on the agenda.”
Dwindling Growth
According to the World Bank latest update on Kenya’s economy, the agriculture sector contracted by 1.5 percent in the first half of 2022 and, with the sector contributing almost one fifth of GDP, its poor performance slowed GDP growth by 0.3 percent .
A recent rapid response phone survey that monitors the impact of shocks on households by the World Bank shows a rise in food insecurity, most severely in rural areas where over half of households reduced their food consumption in June 2022.
Most households reported an increase in prices of essential food items and with many being unable to access core staples, such as beans or maize.
“There is a need for the African governments to prioritise agricultural development and product promotion, and they are implementing action plans, policies and schemes to foster agricultural growth quickly, creating exceptional business opportunities for international companies that can provide high-quality, cost-effective products and solutions to the market.” said Afsheen Siddiqui, Conference Producer of AAE 2023.
“Most of the products (machinery and equipment, agro chemicals, etc.) in Africa’s Agribusiness are imported – creating an exceptional business opportunity for companies like you. The only thing that remains is to choose the right channel partner and through AAE 2023- Kenya, we will connect you with the ideal business partner in the region based on our over a decade of experience in Africa’s agriculture industry,” said Alqama Arif, AAE Project Manager.
Agriculture in Africa has a massive social and economic footprint. More than 60 percent of the population of sub-Saharan Africa is smallholder farmers, and about 23 percent of sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP comes from agriculture.
Yet, Africa’s full agricultural potential remains untapped. A recent analysis by the Mckinsey indicates that Africa could produce two to three times more cereals and grains which would add 20 percent more cereals and grains to the current global stock of 2.6 billion tons in output. Similar increase could be seen in the production of horticulture crops and livestock.
The World Bank projects that agriculture and agribusiness in Africa will grow to a US$1 trillion industry in Africa by 2030 but cautions that this outcome is pegged on the review of the incentive structures.
The region holds about half of the world’s fertile and unexploited land yet it spends US$25 billion annually importing food. It also uses only a negligble percentage of its renewable water resources.
Africa Agri Expo will also bring together experts in Agri-Technology, Food Security, Irrigation Solutions, Seeds, Agro Chemicals, Mechanization, Greenhouse, Post-Harvest, Storage and Distribution Solutions, Logistics and Transportation, Poultry, Dairy and Livestock. Delegates will deliberate on developing strategic dialogue and promoting agribusiness in regional African countries like Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana, Rwanda, Ethiopia and more.
With less than a month remaining, the show has garnered participation from some of the popular brands of the industry like CENSA (a WayCool Enterprise), ESRI, Godrej Agrovet, OCP Africa, Saudi Drip, Biostadt, Lushbury Fertilizers, CEVA Logistics, etc. and along with stakeholder organizations in Kenya like Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), The Agriculture Sector Network (ASNET), Kenya Investment Authority (KenInvest), Agrochemicals Associations of Kenya (AAK), IRRI, African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), FAO, IFAD, etc. who will impart their experience and expertise to make Africa Self Sufficient and achieve its SDG 2030 Goals.
