Africa’s population is expected to grow to more than 2.4 billion by 2050, with an increasing number of people living in cities. Although there are more and more mouths to feed, living and working in the countryside is not the most promising prospect for many young people. African countries spent $64 billion on food imports in 2017. The African Development Bank called this not only unsustainable, irresponsible, and unaffordable, but also completely unnecessary. Africa has 65% of the world’s uncultivated land, an abundance of fresh water, 300 days of sunshine a year and lots of fertile soils. The message is: Africa can and must feed itself.
This background leads us to the key question of our Virtual Seminar. How can African agriculture be transformed so that it provides sufficient and healthy food to the growing population, while providing income and employment for the increasing number of young people and women?
To answer this question Solidaridad, IDH Sustainable Trade Initiative, Xtream Agency Africa, The Netherlands Food Partnership, Wageningen University & Research and the magazine on global issues Vice Versa have come up with this unique Virtual Seminar to search for questions to this very pertinent question. The core aim of this Seminar will be to find out how ‘African food systems can be transformed so that they will provide sufficient and healthy food to the growing population, while at the same time generating income and employment for the increasing number of young people and women on the continent.’
The Global Virtual Seminar will be held on 26/11/2020 (11:00am-1:00pm EAT) and broadcast both online and via linear television with the Theme, ‘Guaranteeing The African Food and Employment Revolution By 2030.” This Global Virtual Seminar hall brings together key players in the agribusiness sector.
Registration has ended.