Malabo Montpellier Panel Side Event at the African Green Revolution Forum

Where: Kigali Convention Centre (KCC), Room MH3

The Malabo Montpellier Panel’s latest report, ‘Mechanized: Transforming Africa’s Agriculture Value Chains’ shows what can be one to sustainably mechanize agriculture to increase production and enhance value addition across value chain segments. This report summarizes the findings of a systematic analysis of what African countries at the forefront of progress in mechanization have done right on in terms of policy decisions and interventions implemented. The set of policies and practices that are identified, if brought to scale, could have significant impact on agricultural transformation in Africa.
An agricultural mechanization agenda should harness the opportunities for mechanization at each stage of the agriculture value chain. Successful mechanization along the value chain will have to be a priority in future development and growth agendas for African smallholder agriculture and will require not only new technologies but also organizational innovations, such as reliable services and cooperation arrangements for and with farmers. Mechanization of value chains, when done right, can and must be employment enhancing and need not be labor replacing.

Session outline:

Chair & moderator

• Geoffrey Mrema, Sokoine University of Agriculture

Welcome – 5 mins

• Joachim von Braun, Director ZEF and co-chair Malabo Montpellier Panel

Keynote – 15mins

• Hon. Higino de Marrule, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Mozambique

Presentation of the report’s key findings – 15mins

• Joachim von Braun, Director ZEF and co-chair Malabo Montpellier Panel

Panel discussion:

• Ishmael Sunga, CEO SACAU and member Malabo Montpellier Panel - mechanization for youth employment in African agriculture
• Sheryl Hendriks, Director, Institute for Food, Nutrition and Well-being at the University of Pretoria and member Malabo Montpellier Panel - commercializing neglected but nutritious foods through mechanization
• Van Jones, co- Founder and Head of Strategy, Hello Tractor - the role of public-private partnerships in increasing the uptake of agricultural mechanization
• Nuradin Osman, Director of Africa and Middle East, AGCO - mechanization for smallholder farmers
• Hon. Fulgence Nsengiyumva, Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Republic of Rwanda

Closing Remarks

• Joachim von Braun,ZEF Director and co-chair Malabo Montpellier Panel – 5mins

Audience Q&A - 30mins