Hellen Ochieng’s Post

#NestarCoffee #BeeEngaged The overarching goal of the African countries is to build productive, nutritious, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable food systems that have the power to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. While substantial progress has been made, overall, action to transform is not yet advancing at the speed or scale required and considerable challenges remain. The Africa Food Systems Forum 2024 annual summit will be a timely opportunity to convene diverse stakeholders, including world leaders, investors, academia, farmers’ organizations, and the private sector, to spotlight innovations, technologies, best practices, business models, policy delivery mechanisms, and investments to accelerate food systems transformation in Africa and beyond, with youth and women at the helm. https://lnkd.in/d2Wbc9XE

The role of agri-entrepreneurship in improving food and nutrition can not be over emphasized. FSPN Africa is enhancing the role of agri-prenuers through the Agribusiness Accelerator Program under the HealthyDiets4Africa Project. With the #AccelleratorProgram2024 launching today, the entrepreneurs will be encouraged to enhance their efforts towards food safety and food security across different value chains.

Stories of agrifood systems change: Insights from Côte d’Ivoire, Cambodia, the Pacific, Guatemala and Albania https://lnkd.in/dj8hXWzG The need to shift towards new ways of thinking and working to address the current global challenges is implied in the growing conversation around agrifood systems, systems approaches and transformation. While increasingly used, these terms are far from being universally understood. A series of country change stories has been documented in an attempt to ground the global agrifood systems discourse in specific realities, demystify some of the terms involved and make sense of what they mean at country level. The five stories in this publication illustrate the varied ways in which FAO accompanied governments, civil society organizations and other development partners on a journey of agrifood systems transformation in Côte d’Ivoire, Cambodia, the Pacific, Guatemala and Albania.

It was a wonderful and inspiring event, especially the African round-table with high ranking personalities indicating different views of the current situation about the latest developments and possible improvement for the agriculture industry in African countries, In our opinion - which was shared by several participants - a very important subject is the fact that too much food is spoil directly after the harvest because of insufficient and ineffective cooling systems. It does not really help to improve the productivity if 40% of the products are lost, spoiled or wasted. Therefore it makes sense to have a look at high-efficient cold chaine systems preferably with ZERO-CARBO Emission. One optimised concept - The Perfect Cold Chain - alone can save appr. 80.000 tons of food per year. Worthwhile to think about it !

I had the privilege of moderating the Farmer’s Forum at the recently concluded Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali, an event that brought together over 5,000 delegates, including representatives from the African Development Bank, the World Food Programme, civil society, and the private sector. This year's summit focused on transformative solutions for Africa's food systems, emphasizing the critical roles of youth and women in agriculture. Engaging discussions highlighted innovative approaches to enhance food security and nutrition across the continent. The participation of diverse stakeholders underscored the importance of collaboration in addressing the challenges facing our food systems. Together, we explored actionable strategies to mobilize investments and foster sustainable agricultural practices that can uplift communities and drive economic growth. Central to these discussions was the vital role of smallholder farmers, who produce up to 80% of the food in many developing regions and support the livelihoods of approximately 2.5 billion people. Despite their significance, smallholder farmers face numerous challenges, including limited access to resources and technology. However, with increased support and investment, they can significantly contribute to feeding Africa and driving economic growth. Their commitment to sustainable practices, such as agroforestry and crop diversification, positions them as key players in building resilient food systems. As we move forward, it is imperative that we continue to engage in these vital strategies and implement the insights gained. The future of Africa’s food systems depends on our collective commitment to innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability. #AfricaFoodSystems #FoodSecurity #SustainableAgriculture #Collaboration #Innovation #4Betters

For our Agri-Food Systems to truly Transform, we need gender inclusion at the core given women account more than 50% of agri-labourforce. At IDH we strive towards Gender Transformation by tackling the systemic barriers to inclusion and economic participation of women in agri.Working with Agri-SMEs, we are changing business practices through tested and data driven approaches. I am proud to have been part of developing this #GenderTransformative Business model #Tanzania IDH Intelligence

👋🏽Get to know Feed the Future! Funded by USAID, Feed the Future is the U.S. Government’s global hunger and food security initiative. It was launched in 2008 and was officially codified by Congress in 2016 as part of the Global Food Security Act of 2016. The Innovation Labs are part of the 2016 Research Strategy, which has identified 3 key objectives: 🌾 Promote inclusive, sustainable agriculture-led economic growth 🌍 Build resilience among vulnerable populations 🍽️ Improve nutritional outcomes, especially among women and children We are so excited to join our efforts in this initiative! Stay tuned for exciting updates on research and partnerships coming from CRCIL. Comment below on what a food-secure future looks like to you! #FeedtheFuture #CRCIL #ClimateResilientCereals #USAID

Attending the AGRF 2024 at the Kigali Conference Center last week was truly an enriching experience! Hosted by the Government of Rwanda, the Africa Food Systems Forum is the world’s largest annual summit on agriculture. The summit brought together dignitaries, innovators, and leaders from across the globe to discuss best practices, innovative business models, and the latest technologies shaping Africa’s food systems. Highlights of the summit included: Inspiring talks on food innovation and job opportunities across the agricultural value chain. Showcases of cutting-edge technologies aimed at transforming how we produce and consume food. The Chef’s Table event, which offered a unique view into how culinary arts can elevate the value of local ingredients while fostering sustainability. One special moment was receiving an invitation to the Africa Food Changemakers (AFC) Meet & Greet on Friday, Sept 7th—what a fantastic way to cap off the summit! For those unfamiliar, Africa Food Changemakers is an incredible community for agriculture practitioners across the continent. The membership is free, offering: Access to business growth courses Mentorship and resources tailored to your needs A community driven by women in agriculture, making the journey of being an SME much more enjoyable. At Green Staples Collective, joining this caring and supportive community was a no-brainer. It was especially rewarding to meet and connect with new and existing Rwandan business owners who are also members. Their shared experiences made us appreciate the value of belonging to AFC even more. After a busy and tiring week, I can honestly say that the energy output was well worth it! Agriculture Fact: Did you know that agriculture provides employment for 60-70% of Africa's population? Yet, with the right innovation and tech, we could multiply its impact even further. What are your thoughts on the role of technology in improving Africa’s agricultural future? Feel free to share your insights below! Stay tuned for our upcoming post where we’ll dive deeper into what AFC can offer your company! #AGRF2024 #FoodInnovation #GreenStaplesCollective #AfricaFoodChangemakers #WomenInAgriculture #AgricultureTechnology #Sustainability #FoodSystems

As Africa stands at the crossroads of transformation, the role of governance, innovation, and technology cannot be understated. In my latest article with Sithembile Ndema Mwamakamba, we delve into the opportunities and challenges of transforming Africa's food systems to secure a sustainable and prosperous future. 🌱 Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network - FANRPAN is committed to empowering smallholder farmers, enhancing food security, and ensuring inclusive growth for women and youth across the continent. Together, we are building resilient, equitable, and climate-smart food systems. Key Insight: "Adopting modern agricultural technologies is key to transforming Africa’s food systems." 📖 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dZ9vzphJ #SustainableAgriculture #FoodSecurity #foodsystems #AgriTech #Governance #AfricaDevelopment #InclusiveGrowth

15/30: Can you tell I am excited? It is great to be in Kigali, Rwanda for the African Food Security Forum! An amazing opportunity to tell ICRISAT stories and connect with Ministers, funders, project partners, CGIAR colleagues and many more! It is great to be back in Africa discussing the potential for ICRISAT to make a difference through our people and research centres located across sub Saharan Africa. The Africa Food Systems Forum 2024 annual summit is the premier forum for African agriculture and food systems. The theme for this year’s summit – Innovate, Accelerate and Scale: Delivering food systems transformation in a digital and climate era – underscores the urgent need to radically transform African food systems.This transformation should enhance local food production, bolster resilience to climate change, uplift African livelihoods, and harness the continent’s potential to tackle global challenges. The theme highlights the need to prioritize three key actions: innovating, accelerating, and scaling up. Regarding innovation, the 2024 Summit will shine the spotlight on innovative policy delivery mechanisms, financing initiatives, research, and business models. As we evolve in a digital age, the summit will showcase cutting-edge technologies and equipment to manage climate impact, digital and financing gap, food waste and loss to name a few. Participants and delegates will have the opportunity at the Summit to network with the innovators and thought leaders driving these state-of-the-art technologies and developments. #transformingdrylandagriculture #foodsystems #climateresilience #food #agriculture