African Conference on Agricultural Technology Focuses on Engaging Youth and Innovating for Resilience
Nairobi — The African Conference on Agricultural Technology (ACAT) has commenced in Kenya, offering a platform for experts, policymakers, and practitioners in the agriculture sector to discuss critical issues.
According to Kenya News Agency, Executive Director of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), the conference is organized in collaboration with the Kenyan Government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development and aims to highlight scalable agricultural technologies and innovations.
The event will run for five days, featuring workshops, plenary sessions, policy dialogues, and presentations on topics such as agricultural resilience and technology transfer. Dr. Kanagire emphasized the untapped potential of Africa’s growing youth population in revitalizing the continent’s economy. He highlighted that Africa, despite possessing the largest arable land globally, remains a leading importer of food, thereby impacting quality healthcare and education.
Dr. Kanagire also noted that the World Food Programme and FAO’s hunger status projection for June to December 2023 indicates worsening food insecurity in 18 global hotspots, including 22 African countries like Kenya, Nigeria, and South Sudan. He mentioned that reliance on rain-fed agriculture and traditional methods, made untenable by climate change and soil degradation, still dominates Africa’s farming landscape.
The conference aims to address these challenges by exploring innovative ways to enhance agricultural productivity. “Efforts have to be directed on how young people should be brought on board to take over agriculture in order to boost food production and feed the increasing population,” said Dr. Kanagire.
The agricultural sector faces additional challenges, including a generation gap, as revealed by experts at the conference. The average age of a farmer in the region is 60, contributing to low food production and high labor costs. Sylvester Oikeh, project manager of the TELA maize project under AATF, stated that the private sector has been hesitant to invest in agriculture due to high risks. Oikeh cited Equity Bank as a positive example, as the bank has successfully tailored products for smallholder farmers.
Former Nigerian President and AATF Ambassador for Agriculture Technology in Africa, Goodluck Jonathan, expressed confidence that the conference will transition from discussions to the actual adoption of new technologies. President William Ruto is scheduled to officially open the forum, where the primary focus will be on the development and commercialization of agricultural technologies to enhance regional food security.