AfDB & NES to convene international conference on Agricultural Value Chains

The conference will attract participants from academia, development agencies, international non-governmental organizations as well as the Bank.

The African Development Institute (ECAD) of the African Development Bank and the Nigerian Economic Society (NES) will convene an international conference under the theme “Optimizing Value Chain(s) in the Agricultural Sector” from 25 – 27 September 2018. The conference will be held at the NICON Luxury Hotel in Abuja, Nigeria.

In line with the theme of the conference, plenary discussions will focus on topics such as “Financial and Institutional Structure and the Growth of the Agricultural Sector”, “Macroeconomic Policies and the Growth of the Agricultural Sector”, and “Optimizing Value Chain(s) in Agriculture: Governance Structure and Linkages”. 

NES President Prof. Tamunopriye Jones Agiobenebo said the conference would address issues of governance structures, policy, institutional constraints, demand and supply, technology and the agricultural value chain.

The conference will attract participants from academia, development agencies, international non-governmental organizations as well as the Bank. Dignitaries and key speakers expected at the conference include agricultural economists, policymakers, senior Nigerian cabinet ministers, and government officials.

His Excellency, Professor Yemi Osibanjo, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will open the conference, while Dr. Celestin Monga, Vice-President, Economic Governance and Knowledge Management, African Development Bank will deliver the welcome address.

The conference supports the Bank’s “Feed Africa” initiative, an agricultural investment plan to help Africa achieve food self-sufficiency by 2025. Working with governments, development partners and the private sector, the Bank will invest $24 billion to boost agriculture, food, and nutrition in Africa over the next 10 years.

The “Feed Africa” strategy is one of the Bank’s High 5 priority goals to “Industrialize Africa,” “Integrate Africa,” “Light up and power Africa,” and “Improve the quality of life for the people of Africa.”