The concluded 1st All Africa Post Harvest Congress and Exhibition event, held in Nairobi, Kenya on the 28th to 31st March, which focused on food security, with the aim of sustainable solutions for Africa. Having taken place against a backdrop of 30% global food losses and a recent drought that affected up to 3 million Kenyans, the event brought together governments, private sectors, researchers and academicians, to review the progresses in place and innovations to reduce food losses and wastage.
Sustainability Concept
The value chain actors and those vulnerable from food losses are mostly women and youth, who are highly disadvantaged while trying to secure resources that are needed for investment of solutions. It advised that the involved stakeholders, should focus their attention on managing issues of affordability and usage of technology that will enable producers, processors, transporters and retailers to act their part in reducing food losses. Kenya should improve food security and export surplus produce through deliberate investments while empowering specific focused groups to access financing in order to increase the acquisition of latest technologies through funding facilities such as the youth enterprise fund and women’s development fund. This will require commitment at both county and national levels.
CSO Role
SOCAA is working in collaboration with SNV and IFPRI and other partners in the Voice For Change evidence based project in collaboration with public and private sector stakeholders to increase the opportunities for improved consumption of safe food and reduce losses. Improvements of policies and institutional linkages that will increase stakeholder investment in food safety and food loss reduction. We foresee a safe food secure country.
Rikki Agudah (CEO)
