AGRF Virtual Summit 2020

Emerging Ag is proud to have played a critical part in ensuring the successful delivery of the AGRF 2020 Virtual Summit by providing program development and event management services. In partnership with Lind Agricultural Services, run by Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, Techchange, The Contented Agency, Cube and Brand Leadership, Emerging developed an innovative program tailored for a virtual audience, selected distinguished speakers and managed the delivery of this year’s Virtual Summit’s program. 

With the help of its partners and suppliers, AGRF 2020 featured:

• +10,400 delegates from 154 different countries

These included Heads of State and Government, Ministers, former Heads of State and Government, heads of international agencies, CEOs of global, regional and national business companies, farmers and youth representatives

• 320 speakers

An exciting and diverse line-up of speakers, including current and former heads of state, agriculture/ finance ministers, private sector actors, farmers, development institutions and NGOs

• 78 sessions over 4 full days with 9 hours of programming

Including plenary sessions, thematic platforms, panels, breakout groups, food insight, cultural moments, virtual outings and networking in 3D spaces. These were run on an interactive platform with multiple stages that allowed for several events to be held concurrently. Events were also livestreamed on YouTube, Rwanda TV, Social Media via Facebook Live as well as featured on the cable satellite channel CNBC Africa

• +1000 investment and partnerships meetings

AGRF 2020 hosted Agribusiness deal rooms, matchmaking platforms designed to convene stakeholders from the entire ecosystem to facilitate partnerships and investments in African agriculture

• US$ 4.7 billion worth of investment opportunities presented in more than 20 value chains 

The Agribusiness deal rooms this year drew around 208 businesses, 55 financial investors, 20 business development service providers and 54 anchor buyers

Emerging Ag designed a cutting-edge program around the theme “Feed the Cities, Grow the Continent: Leveraging Urban Food Markets to Achieve Sustainable Food Systems in Africa”, built around 4 key thematic areas:

1. Food Systems: improve existing food systems to adapt these to the needs of growing cities

2. Nutrition: provide nutritious and accessible diets to feed 1 billion people in African cities by 2040

3. Resilience: build back better following the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for ongoing shocks

4. Markets and Trade: jumpstart the African free trade agreement from an agricultural perspective and strengthen agri-food data systems to foster evidence-based policies and predictability

Further highlights included:

• The launch of the 2020 Africa Agricultural Status Report, Feeding Africa’s Cities, assessing the opportunities, challenges and policies required to enable African farmers and agribusinesses serve the rapidly growing urban food markets;

• The Presidential Summit, which welcomed a selection of eminent guest, including Rwanda’s President, H.E. Paul Kagame, was joined by H.E Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission and H.E Amina Mohamed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations;

• The announcement of The 2020 winners of the Africa Food Prize (AFP) and the GoGettaz Agripreneur Award. Dr. Catherine Nakalembe and Dr. André Bationo. shared the $100,000 Africa Food Prize for their exceptional contribution towards the promotion of food security across the continent.

Read more about the AGRF here 

Follow the AGRF on Twitter: @TheAGRF

AGRF Partners