The Kenyan Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), have announced that the inaugural African Conference on Agricultural Technology (ACAT) will take place in Nairobi, Kenya, in November 2023.
In order to discuss and define practical actions and solutions to the challenges of technology access and use faced in the agriculture sector, it will bring together government representatives, industry thought leaders, policymakers, technical experts, private institutions, farmers, women, and youth from around the world. Kenya will be the first country to host ACAT.
Phillip Harsama, Kenya’s Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development said “As a country, we are pleased to co-host the inaugural ACAT 2023 and are honored to welcome to Nairobi the global, regional and local community to this important forum and look forward to discuss actionable solutions to the challenges facing the sector, which will also drive change and foster growth,” said, Mr.
He emphased that “the conference comes at an opportune time when the continent is struggling to feed its people and climate change is posing serious challenges to our collective prosperity,” he added.
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Former Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, and AATF Ambassador for Agriculture Technology in Africa, expressed support for the conference, noting that agriculture plays a pivotal role in Africa’s economic agenda, contributing significantly to employment, food security, and economic growth.
“ACAT will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to “walk the talk” and move beyond discussions about new technologies to embracing and adopting them,” said the former President.
The AATF Executive Director, Dr. Canisius Kanangire, noted that ACAT will highlight the centrality of STI in fostering agricultural transformation, especially in addressing key challenges facing African farmers.