Agro-Food Players Chart Post-Harvest Loss Abaters

Sep 23 , 2023


[ssba-buttons]

Over 450 farmers, traders, researchers and policymakers from various parts of Africa convened in Addis Abeba to discuss food waste, particularly post-harvest loss last week. The All African Post-Harvest Congress & Exhibition was held at the African Union Commission headquarters. In the opening remark, Josefa Sacko, Commissioner of Rural Economy & Agriculture of the African Union Commission, indicated that 30pc of the food produced in the continent is wasted while 278 million people are in dire need of food aid. She stressed the need to improve food and nutrition security while applying effective post-harvest laws. Solomon Rutega, the secretary-general at the Inter-African Coffee Organisation with close to 25 coffee-producing countries, said post-harvest management boosts inter-Africa agricultural trade and sustains the coffee industry in the African market. A presentation that focused on the impacts of waste was put forth by Heiko Feuring, president of Buhler Group in the Middle East, Africa and India. Headquartered in Switzerland, Buhler Group is a family-owned business that has been in operation for 163 years. The Company is in a unique position to turn the global concern into a sustainable and profitable business as their equipment indirectly reaches two billion consumers worldwide, according to him. The constraints of agriculture processing in Africa include poor raw material production, climate-related challenges, and unsuitable storage conditions, which will result in low agriculture productivity and significant imports of raw materials to compensate for low local production. While Africa has 65pc of arable land, challenges with postharvest loss stem from limited infrastructure, particularly low cold storage, processing and marketing capacity. Heiko unveiled their plan to reduce post-harvest losses by providing advanced storage facilities such as a controlled atmosphere in partnership with government agencies, non-governmental organisations, and private sectors. The Associate Vice President & General Counsel International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Katherine Meighan, indicated their focus on financing small-scale producers to realise agricultural transformation.


Radar

Bank of Abyssinia Signs Partnership with Droga Cooperative

Bank of Abyssinia has entered into a partnership agreement with Droga Health & Financial Savings and Credit Cooperative to provide financial support and services for its members. The agreement was signed yesterday at the Bank's headquarters. The deal aims to strengthen collaboration between the two institutions, enabling cooperative members to access tailored banking services. It was signed by Wosenyeleh Abera, Deputy CEO for Customer Relations and Marketing at the bank, and Zelalem Yilma...


Radar

Wegagen Introduces Real Time SWIFT Tracking

Wegagen Bank has launched a new mobile app feature enabling customers to track international SWIFT payments in real time. The bank is the first in Ethiopia to introduce an online SWIFT payment tracking system. By integrating SWIFT Global Payment Innovation, customers, particularly those involved in import-export trade, can monitor cross-border transactions using a Unique End-to-End Transaction Reference (UETR) directly from their smartphones. To use the service, customers select the SWIFT...


Radar

National ID, Zambia Partners to Expands Program Reach

The National ID Program has signed an agreement with Zambia's counterpart to provide consulting services for the development of software that will issue digital IDs. It is the first time the institution has extended its expertise beyond national borders, a sign of growing recognition for its rapid progress. Program officials described the partnership as a milestone in their effort to position themselves as a regional player in digital transformation. The collaboration is expected to center...