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The future of food security in Africa: The Agri-Tech solution

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19
4:00 pm September 2023
Add to Calendar 2023-09-19 16:00:00 2024-12-13 15:26:42 The future of food security in Africa: The Agri-Tech solution Description Location Policy Center Policy Center Africa/Casablanca public

In Africa, food insecurity has increased as a result of the war in Ukraine and the extreme weather conditions, which, when combined with weak local infrastructure and the lowest levels of productivity, pose an additional risk to Africa's ability to meet its growing food needs. Yet knowing that Africa accounts for 60 percent of the world's untapped arable land, the continent could feed not only itself, but also the planet. More than food security, it is a food sovereignty strategy that will be impactful. A sustainable agri-business policy can play a key role in providing producers access to local and global markets; increasing the quantity and diversity of food, driving economic transformation; and providing a primary source of income for many actors.

The Policy Center for the New South and the Africa Center co-organize a high-level conversation featuring Fatima Ezzahra Mengoub, Senior Economist at the Policy Center for the New South,  H.E. Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki, African Union Special Envoy for Food Systems, Dr. Cary Fowler, U.S. Special Envoy for Global Food Security and Aubrey Hruby, Africa Center Senior Fellow and will present the key findings of our joint new report before joining an expert panel on Agri-Tech.

 

Agenda

16:00am

Opening/Welcome Remarks

Amb. Rama Yade, Senior Director, Africa Center

16:00– 16:30am

Fireside Chat

Moderator: Amb. Rama Yade, Senior Director, Africa Center

H.E. Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki, Special Envoy for Food Systems, African Union 

Dr. Cary Fowler, Special Envoy for Global Food Security, United States of America

16:30 – 17:00pm

Report Presentation and Expert Panel Discussion

Aubrey Hruby, Senior Fellow, Africa Center

Fatima Ezzahra Mengoub, Senior Economist, Policy Center for the New South (VIRTUAL)

Panelists:

Cameron Alford, Vice President, Department of Compact Operations, Millennium Challenge Corporation

Eli Pollak, Chief Executive Officer, Apollo Agriculture (VIRTUAL)

Niraj Varia, Chief Executive Officer, iProcure