COLEACP and the Panafrican Farmer's Organisation (PAFO) collaborate to support farmers’ organisations, cooperatives and SMEs to seize opportunities in new markets and to establish key partnerships to strengthen their  competitiveness. PAFO and COLEACP launched a series of sessions on Innovations and successes of African farmer-led businesses and SMEs which share best practices from entrepreneurs, farmers and agripreneurs across the world, with a focus on innovations in production methods, markets development, digital solutions, technologies and circular economy. They will also feature views on the supporting policy, research, finance and investment environment.

PAFO and COLEACP hold a series of 2-hour sessions, every 2 months, aiming to:

• Increase awareness and use of existing innovations, led by farmers’ organisations and SMEs across value chains
• Highlight forthcoming innovative technologies and practices with potential for farmers’ organisations and SMEs
• Exchange best practices and successes across regions in the continent and with the EU
• Provide tailored support services (training, technical assistance, extension services, access to finance and documented case studies).

This second session will focus on successes and innovations that supply added-value and products for local markets.

Programme (GMT time)

Moderator: Isolina Boto, Head of Networks and Alliances, COLEACP

12h00-12h10: Introduction & Welcome:

• Jeremy Knops, General Delegate COLEACP
• Escipión Oliveira Gómez, Assistant Secretary-General, Dept Sustainable economic transformation and trade, OACPS

12h10-12h45    Panel: Successes of businesses

• Affiong Williams, CEO, Reelfruit, Nigeria
• Catherine Krobo Edusei, Managing Director, Eden Tree Limited, Ghana
• Komi Agbokou, President and Founder, Choco Togo
• Bertille Guèdègbé Marcos , CEO, Les Jus Tillou, Benin

12h45-13h10 Discussants

• Escipión Oliveira Gómez, Assistant Secretary-General, Dept Sustainable economic transformation and trade, OACPS
• Flow Car, Managing Director , AGRF, Kenya
• Dimitry Van Raemdonck, AgriFI Fund Manager, Belgium

13h10-13h45 Debate

13h45-14h00    Key takeaway points from the meeting, highlighting opportunities for action: PAFO

Conclusion: Fatma Ben Rejeb, CEO, PAFO