African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP)’s Post

With great pleasure, we wish to formally inform all our partners and stakeholders that the Trade Credit Guarantee is officially launched . We are looking forward to fostering an efficient and robust Agro-dealer value chain on the African continent. #HADC2024 #Fertilizer #foodsecurity

Day One of the HADC Conference in Kigali! Distinguished participants arriving at the Marriott Hotel in Kigali, Rwanda for the Inaugural African Hub Agro-Dealer Development Conference. It's truly inspiring to witness stakeholders from across the continent gathering here to propel agro-dealer development forward. One of the highlights of this year's conference is the official launch of the $40 million African Trade Credit Guarantee Program. This initiative holds immense promise for fostering trade and equiping agro-dealers with capacity to grow in Africa's agricultural sector. Moreover, we have an array of events lined up for the week: 1. The 2nd Annual Hub Agro-dealer of the Year Award ceremony promises to honor excellence and innovation in the field. 2. We're thrilled to host a special "Women in Inputs" breakfast, celebrating the invaluable contributions of women in the agribusiness space. 3. Similarly, our "Youth in Inputs" breakfast aims to empower and uplift the next generation of agricultural leaders in the agri-input space 4. For participants, we're organizing masterclasses on a variety of topics including plant nutrition, innovative extension services, soil health practices, cooling and mechanization services, solar-powered irrigation, enhanced seed production, and trade. Stay tuned for more updates as we embark on this journey to harness the immense potential of agrodelars on the African continent. #HADC2024 #HADCConference #AFAP

The African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP) would like to extend this formal invitation to you to attend the inaugural African Hub Agro-Dealer Development Conference (HADC), taking place from 4-7 June 2024, at the Kigali Marriott Hotel, Kigali, Rwanda. This four-day event will include three days of intensive conferencing followed by a visit to the new Rwanda Fertilizer Company blending plant, (a partnership between OCP and the Government of Rwanda). The conference will focus on increasing financing flows in the African fertilizer value chain, a key theme from the recent African Union African Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit. Significant highlights of the event will be the hosting of the 2nd annual Hub Agro-Dealer of the Year Award (HAYA); the launch of the African Trade Credit Guarantee Program (ATCGP); a series of parallel dynamic Masterclasses designed to explore the latest advancements and best practices in agricultural innovation and sustainability; and special breakfast sessions for Women in Inputs and Youth in Inputs. In addition to the attached HADC Overview, please refer to our event website for registration and further details regarding discount rates for flights and accommodation: www.ahadc.org. We look forward to welcoming you to Kigali for this momentous occasion. REGISTER NOW!!!!: https://qkt.io/CkXYdW

African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP) will be convening the inaugural African Hub Agro-Dealer Development Conference (HADC), taking place from 4-7 June 2024, at the Kigali Marriott Hotel, Kigali, Rwanda. This four-day event will include three days of intensive conferencing followed by a visit to the new Rwanda Fertilizer Company blending plant, a partnership between OCP and the Government of Rwanda. The conference will focus on increasing financing flows in the African fertilizer value chain, a key theme from the recent African Union African Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit. Significant highlights of the event will be the hosting of the 2nd annual Hub Agro-Dealer of the Year Award (HAYA);  the launch the African Trade Credit Guarantee Program (ATCGP); a series of parallel dynamic Masterclasses designed to explore the latest advancements and best practices in agricultural innovation and sustainability; and special breakfast sessions for Women in Inputs and Youth in Inputs. For more details, go to our event website: www.ahadc.org We look forward to welcoming you to Kigali for this momentous occasion!!!

AFAP at #AFSHS2024: Reliable Financial Mechanisms for Fertilizer Development in Africa During the recent African Union Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit convened in Nairobi, Kenya, AFAP took the lead in organizing a series of parallel sessions dedicated to addressing crucial challenges within the agricultural sector including a standout side-event was titled "Reliable Financial Mechanisms for Fertilizer Development in Africa". Moderated by Michael Sudarkasa, President and CEO of AFAP, the session featured a keynote presentation on by Marie Claire Kalihangabo, Coordinator of the African Fertilizer Financing Mechanism (AFFM) at the African Development Bank (AfDB).  The presentation provided insights into the future of fertilizer finance in Africa, emphasizing perspectives from the AFFM and broader developmental finance strategies. The presentation was followed by a moderated panel discussion with seasons knowledge expects including Matthew Leonard, Agri-Finance Advisory Lead for East & Southern Africa at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), World Bank; Ben Valk, Global Head Food and Agri Partnerships at Rabobank, and Executive Director, Sustain Africa; Lade Araba, Vice-President, Financial Services, AFAP; Maregesi Shaaban, Head of Agribusiness, CRDB Bank Plc; and Jullian Palliam, CEO of Foskor. The panel shed light on financing facilities and programs available in Africa's fertilizer landscape and their pivotal role in driving industry development over the coming decade. These include AFAP’s Africa Trade Credit Guarantee Program schedule for launch in Kigali, Rwanda during the Inaugural African Hub Agro-Dealer Development Conference (HADC).

AFAP at #AFSHS2024: Business support of the 10-Year Action Plan In a bid to propel Africa's agricultural agenda forward, the African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP), in collaboration with the International Fertilizer Association (IFA), recently convened a key side-event during the Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya. The session titled "What Business and Industry can do to help Implement the 10-Year Action Plan," focused on clarifying the role of Business and Industry in supporting the ambitious 10-Year Action Plan set forth at the Summit. Since the seminal Africa Fertilizer Summit held in Abuja in 2006, significant strides have been made in Africa's agricultural landscape. Business and industry have played a pivotal role, witnessing notable increases in production capacity, particularly in Nigeria and Morocco, and a burgeoning number of blending facilities across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Private sector investments, totalling over $4 billion in new ammonia/urea capacity in Nigeria alone, underscore the growing commitment to agricultural development. Additionally, the proliferation of agro-dealers and the advent of AgTech startups have contributed to improved access to markets and information for smallholder farmers, marking a transformative shift in the agricultural ecosystem. Moderated by Michael Sudarkasa, President and CEO of AFAP, and Patrick Heffer, Deputy Director General of the International Fertilizer Association (IFA), the event brought fourth guiding insights from captains of industry including Lilian Mbuthia, CEO of FAK; Innocent Okuku, CEO of WAFA; Mehdi Filali, SVP West Africa at OCP Africa; William Ngeno, Country Manager for Kenya & Uganda at Yara; Malolan Sampath, Chief Marketing Officer at Indorama; François Visagie, Managing Director of Manufacturing at Omnia; Ashish Lakhotia, CEO of Fertilizer & Agri Inputs at ETG; and Adriaan de Lange, CEO of Meridian. The event showcased Business and Industry's dedication to supporting the 10-Year Action Plan proposed at the Summit, outlining strategies across key intervention areas. It addressed improved policies, investment, finance, and markets for fertilizer and soil health management, enhanced access to fertilizers, and promoted efficiency and sustainability. Additionally, it emphasized the importance of trust-building and public-private partnerships. Targeting non-industry stakeholders, this side-event provided valuable insights and fostered discussions on actionable steps to advance the regional Action Plan.