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The Nairobi Network Soirée 2023

The Emerging Ag network in Nairobi has undergone an incredible transformation over the past seven years. It all began with a modest round table dinner in the Westlands area, a gathering of fewer than 10 individuals. Fast forward, on November 10th, 2023, nearly a hundred partners and friends convened in the middle of a Coffee Plantation at the Shamba Cafe, Loresho. 

As I looked around the Shamba Cafe that evening, I was really happy to see proof that business connections can turn into meaningful friendships. The true beauty of this gathering lay not just in the diversity of sectors represented but in the shared passion in everyone present for revolutionizing Africa’s agricultural food system. It emphasized the integral role each stakeholder, whether a farmer tending the land, the SME Mentorship sessions or a policymaker shaping regulations, plays in shaping the future of agriculture in Africa, we can’t live in silos. Networking works and there is much more to come from the collaborations.

Reflecting on the journey in Nairobi, I can tell that the future is bright, and can only shine brighter. I am most thankful to the able team behind this success, the Emerging Ag Team Africa; Mumbi, Irina, Demas, Katrina & Steve. As the evening drew to a close, the rains started to pour, culminating the evening with showers of gratitude—a collective appreciation for the combined effort that brought the network to this pivotal moment.

Robynne Anderson

Robynne has extensive experience in the agriculture and food sector, working throughout the value chain – from basic inputs to farmers in the field to the grocery store shelf. She works internationally in the sector, including speaking at the United Nations on agriculture and food issues, and representing the International Agri-Food Network at the UN.Throughout her career she has worked with farm organisations like the Prairie Oat Growers Association, the National Smallholder Farmers Association of Malawi and the Himalayan Farmers Association, as well as global groups, to further the voice of agriculture in the food debate. She has also worked with Fortune 500 companies growing worldwide businesses to assist them with issues management and strategy decisions.

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