Promoting Agricultural Innovation for Africa: KIC Announces inaugural conference
KIC has announced the inaugural Agricultural Innovation for Africa Conference, a maiden conference to bring together stakeholders in the Agricultural sector to rethink the future of agricultural innovation, youth employment and food security in Africa. The event will take place from the 17th to the 18th August, 2023, at the University of Professional Studies, Accra.
The AIA conference aims to foster a collaborative platform to share and showcase cutting-edge technologies, strategies, and best practices to revolutionize the agricultural landscape in Africa. With the theme ” Empowering youth startups and Agri-MSMEs in Africa: Advancing food security through innovation and collaboration”, this gathering will underscore the importance of sustainable and innovative practices in elevating Africa’s agricultural potential.
The Agricultural Innovation for Africa Conference aims to contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by promoting sustainable agricultural practices, supporting rural development, with a strong focus on technology driven innovations to addressing issues of food security.
Speaking ahead of the conference, Benjamin Gyan-Kesse, Executive Director for KIC, has underscored the importance of adopting Agtechnology and empowering youth start-ups within the agricultural value chains to contribute significantly towards the continent’s development. “ We are excited that the AIA conference will bring together experts and thought leaders within the Agricultural sector to identify the tech potential within agriculture, whiles harnessing the potential of young entrepreneurs and start-ups,” he said.
The AIA conference will not only provide a platform for networking, but also aims to provide a bridge for potential investors to connect with young Agri-MSMEs through a Deal Room and Exhibition, which have been added as key highlights to the event. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore a diverse array of cutting-edge agricultural technologies, innovative products, and services in the dedicated exhibition zone. Start-ups and Agri-MSMEs in the Deal Room will also get to pitch their businesses to potential investors to scale-up and grow.
This maiden edition of the Agricultural Innovation for Africa Conference is being supported by Kosmos Energy, International Trade Center, IDH, AGRA, among others.
The event media partners include Global Media Alliance, Happy FM and Yfm.
The AIA conference is expected to be attended by over 1500 participants.
The Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC) invests in young entrepreneurs and small businesses who have big ideas and want to see their country grow. The KIC was established in Ghana in 2016 with programs focused on inspiring and empowering young entrepreneurs to drive change in their own country. Since its inception, the KIC has focused on innovation in agriculture – the country’s most important sector and largest employer. More than 1300 aspiring entrepreneurs have participated in KIC Ghana programs, resulting in the creation of promising startups that have gone on to secure seed funding, additional business training, and capital investment.
The AIA Conference is an open and interactive 2- day forum that gives key decision-makers, subject matter experts, professionals, industry stakeholders and actors the opportunity to rethink the future of agricultural innovation, youth employment and food security in Africa. The conference aims to be a space for education on the necessary systems to help Africa on the journey to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2. We recognize that to empower youth start-ups & Agri-MSMEs to advance Food Security through Innovation & Collaboration for the continent, we must be the bridge that connects all stakeholders. Visit event website: www.aiaconference.org
