Nourishing Africa has hosted the virtual country roadshow to connect and equip Africa’s agricultural entrepreneurs as it marks its first anniversary.
The roadshow is aimed at connecting agriculture and food entrepreneurs, sharing their experiences, and gaining resources and knowledge from the expert panels and in-depth discussions cut across six African countries – Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, South Africa, Mozambique, and Angola.
It was conducted in English, French, and Portuguese and was held in partnership with thirteen local organizations across the six countries.
Building on its central theme ‘Connecting and Equipping Agribusiness SMEs across Africa’ the roadshow was facilitated by 44 speakers consisting of industry and technical experts, government agencies, and experienced entrepreneurs.
The roadshow kick-started in Kenya and the major takeaway was the emphasis on the need for youths to explore opportunities in the agri-food sector.
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Kiringai Kamau, regional lead – Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition, in his welcome address urged local SMEs to build and scale sustainable agri-food businesses.
On 13th July, the virtual bus moved to South Africa, and the central theme of the event was the need to engage local farmers in the formal agriculture value chains and ensure that the country’s food sector becomes self-sufficient and resilient against external shocks.
The penultimate stop for the country roadshow was Mozambique on the 15th July and participants discussed various ways that local SMEs can be supported to build and scale local businesses in Mozambique; citing favourable policies, sound infrastructure, and access to market as solutions to key challenges.
Lastly, the virtual tour ended in Angola on the 23rd July 2021 and panellists extensively discussed the need for government intervention in scaling up agri-food businesses in the country.
With over 1,000 registered participants, the roadshow was a gathering of aspiring, struggling, thriving, and active agricultural entrepreneurs deeply vested in growing Africa’s agricultural sector.
Partnerships formed a formidable part of the event’s success, as Nourishing Africa partnered with organizations that share its vision for African agriculture.
A true sign of the emerging digital world, this virtual roadshow highlights the endless possibilities in digital information and knowledge sharing across Africa’s agriculture and food landscapes, before now considered traditional and technology-adverse, the organisation said in a statement.
Participants across the various countries attested to the event being a major eye-opener, calling out the need for agri-food entrepreneurs to engage in continued information gathering, networking, and ecosystem partnerships to sustainably scale their businesses.
