Experts to Discuss West African Agribusiness Trade

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Government heads and international industry leaders will converge in Accra, Ghana from July 10-12, 2017 for the West Africa Fertilizer Agribusiness conference at the Movenpick Hotel.

The event, organised by CRU Events and the African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP), will attract over 250 attendees and feature specialist workshops, keynote presentations, interactive panel discussions, break-out sessions and a site visit to the Nestle Tema factory.

The conference marks the second in the continuing collaboration between CRU Events and AFAP, offering unrivalled networking opportunities with senior decision makers from the biggest fertilizer buyers and manufacturers in some of the world’s fastest growing fertilizer markets.

It comes at a time when the Ghanaian fertilizer and agribusiness sector is undergoing an incredible boost from the country’s new leadership, making it the perfect moment to explore the region’s potential using the conference’s main themes of partnership, investment and innovation.

Chief Agribusiness Officer at AFAP, Mr Pierre Brunache, noted that, “Sessions will explore critical issues such as how the cost of fertilizer for West African farmers and how supply chains of agricultural inputs can be improved, how local government and international suppliers of fertilizer can work in partnership to build strong agribusiness.” said

“The conference will also look into how innovation in areas of finance or communication can be used in West African agribusiness, financing tools to enable fertilizer trade and investment in the agribusiness value chain and how to encourage youth participation and support women in agribusiness,” continued Mr Brunache.

The agenda features over 25 speakers including opening keynote presentations from Hackman Owusu-Agyemang the Chairman of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and Tchambacou Ayassor the Commissioner of Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources at The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Fertilizer industry leaders such as Onajite Okoloko, Group CEO and MD of Notore Chemical Industries and Danquah Addo-Yobbo, MD of Yara Ghana will also give their views.

“We are pleased that the conference has the support of organisations like OCP Africa, Nectar Group, Omni Fert and Yara Group who are sponsoring the conference. This event will be unmissable for everybody involved in the West African fertilizer and agribusiness sectors,” said CRU Events CEO Ms Nicola Coslett.