2019 – “Journey to Self-Reliance: Unlocking the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement”
Protea Hotel by Marriott Skyz, Kampala, Uganda
November 20 – 21, 2019
Conference Programme
DAY 1: 20 November 2019
Opening Remarks and Welcome
- Dr. Miltone Ayieko, Executive Director: Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development, Egerton University, Kenya (ReNAPRI)
- Prof. Gorettie Nabanoga, Deputy Principal of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), on behalf of Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Vice-Chancellor, Makerere University, Uganda
- Hon. Amelia Kyambadde, Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Uganda
- Dr. Joy Kabatsi, Minister of State for Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), on behalf of Hon. Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempija, Minister, MAAIF
SESSION 1
ReNAPRI – Going beyond the Platitudes
Presenter: Lulama Ndibongo Traub, Co-Director, Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP), South Africa (ReNAPRI)
SESSION 2
The African Continental Free Trade Agreement – Opportunities, threats and challenges
Moderator: Gerald Masila, CEO, East African Grain Council (EAGC)
Private Sector Presentations:
- Andrew Karani, Founder, MyCargo Limited, Kenya
- Carlson Kimkung, Commodity Trader, Export Trading Group – Farmers Foundation, Kenya
Panel:
- Hon. Amelia Anne Kyambadde, Cabinet Minister of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives, Uganda
- Hon. Adan Haji Yussuf, MP, Departmental Committee of Agriculture & Livestock, Kenya
- Hon. Chido Madiwa, MP, Chairperson: Women and Gender Portfolio Committee, Zimbabwe
- Hon. Noko Masipa, MP, Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform & Rural Development, South Africa
- Hon. Max Bweupe Ng’onga, MP, Chairperson: Agriculture & Lands Committee, Zambia
- Joyene Isaacs, Head of Department, Western Cape Department of Agriculture, South Africa
- Eduarda Mungoi, Assistant to the Ministry of Industry & Trade, Mozambique
SESSION 3
Prioritizing & Targeting Public Investments Along Key Value-Chains – examples of Tanzania & Kenya
Moderator: Ferdi Meyer, Bureau of Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP), South Africa (ReNAPRI)
Presentations:
- Lilian Kirimi, Research Director, Tegemeo Institute, Kenya (ReNAPRI)
- Zena Mpenda, Research Director, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Tanzania (ReNAPRI)
- Tracy Davids, Manager, Markets Division, Bureau of Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP), South Africa (ReNAPRI)
Panel:
- Lucy Njenga, Director of Policy, Ministry of Agriculture, Kenya
- Protase Echessah, Senior Program Officer, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Kenya
- Holger Matthey, Team Leader, Medium-term Outlook and Market Analysis Team of the Trade and Markets Division, Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), Italy
Closing of Day 1: Insights and Lessons Learned
Gabriel Elepu, Department Head, Department of Agribusiness and Natural Resources, Makerere University, Uganda (ReNAPRI)
DAY 2: 21 November 2019
SESSION 4A
Toward Building the Agenda for Abuja II Fertilizer Summit
Moderator: Richard Mkandawire, Alliance for African Partnership (AAP), Michigan State University (MSU), United States of America
Presentation: Thomas Jayne, MSU (ReNAPRI)
Panel:
- Killian Banda, Fertilizer Policy Research Assistant, African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP), South Africa
- Martin van Ittersum, Professor, Wageningen University &Research
- Alexander Fernando, Deputy Director, East and Southern Africa, International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), United States of America
- Hambulo Ngoma, Research Fellow, Indaba Agricultural Policy Research Institute (IAPRI), Zambia (ReNAPRI)
- Everlyn Musyoka, Commercial Operations Lead, Bayer Africa, Uganda
- Protase Echessah, Senior Program Officer, AGRA, Kenya
- Isaac Minde, Associate Director, AAP-MSU, United States of America
SESSION 4B
Toward Building the Agenda for Abuja II Fertilizer Summit
Moderator: Richard Mkandawire, AAP-MSU, United States of America
Break-away groups:
- Group 1: Soil health and fertilizer interface debates and new research developments
- Group 2: Best-practice models to increase fertilizer investment and fertilizer availability
- Group 3: Best-practice models to increase fertilizer access and use by stallholder farmers
- Group 4: Promoting regional trade, continental and national manufacturing capacity
SESSION 5
Recap, Way Forward, & Closing Remarks
- Jackline Wabbi, Research Director, Department of Agribusiness and Natural Resource Economics, Makerere University, Uganda (ReNAPRI)
- Emily Weeks, USAID
- Miltone Ayieko, Tegemeo Institute, (ReNAPRI)
Conference Description:
Africa is on the move! July 7th, 2019 marked the launch of the operational phase of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). The objective is to bring together all 55 members states of the African Union into one of the world’s largest free trade areas. Once trading begins on July 1st, 2020 the AfCFTA has the potential to:
- Boost Intra-African trade by at least 52% (UNECA) through the reduction of import duties and improved harmonization of trade liberalization and facilitation instruments across the REC’s;
- Increase the competitiveness of African industry by providing opportunities for scale production, continental market access and improved resource allocation (TRALAC, 2019); and
- Meet the growing food demand, which is projected to reach USD 1 Trillion by 2030 (AfDB, 2018).
However, if Africa is to realize this potential, there are challenges that will need to be addressed. Coherent domestic marketing and trade policies are needed to encourage the required private investments in agricultural commodity value chains that will achieve sustainable productivity growth. In the face of these challenges, valid questions arise as to whether or not the transformation narrative on the continent will falter (Fioramonti, 2017). To ensure sustainable transformation will require committed and innovative leadership, transparent accountability; and evidence that will allow for accurate measurement of progress.
The purpose of the conference is to create a platform for strategic dialogue and evidence-based guidance within the context of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement. Our premise is that an evidence-based understanding of agricultural marketing and trade policy impacts can assist African governments, private firms and civil society groups to anticipate and effectively respond proactively to the emerging challenges in the region.
The ReNAPRI conference was held over a day-and-half period and comprised the following activities:
- Keynote Presentations that highlights and prioritizes the key challenges on trade, national investment strategies, and sustainable agricultural production;
- Panel Discussions including industry experts/stakeholders and government officials, charged with identifying concrete strategies that address the challenges and unlocks the regions agricultural potential under AfCFTA;
- Interactive Dialogue on how best varying stakeholders can support intra-regional efforts at local, national and regional levels.
Conference participants include a range of stakeholders actively engaged in the African Agricultural sector. These include:
- Regional Economic Community and relevant government ministries representatives
- Farmer organizations
- Private sector organizations and companies
- Academics
- Development think tanks
- Research organizations (national and international)
- Development agencies and donor community
Concept Note
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