An upcoming forum will focus on ways of boosting innovation in the agricultural sector throughout Africa in a bid to boost the continent’s global agribusiness potential, according to a press statement.
The AGRITEC ID-EMRC International Business Forum will be held in Lisbon, Portugal from January 20-21, jointly organized by Brussels-based EMRC International and the Portuguese Industrial Association, to address the scope of the role that Africa can play in alleviating the growing global food crisis.
The forum is under the support of Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries of Portugal António Serrano.
“Analysts at the FAO (the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization), one of our partners, have released their January report on rising food prices and the warning bells continue to ring. The situation is becoming increasingly urgent and we need to act and mobilize solution-finding now,” said Idit Miller, vice president and managing director of EMRC.
The ‘FAO food price index’ report examines the price of a food basket composed of meat, dairy, cereals, oil and sugar; its findings show record highs in global food prices in December, surpassing the highs of the 2008 food crisis.
“While food rioting around the world currently does not compare to what was experienced during 2008, it is necessary to ensure continued successful and improved food production in Africa to prevent further civil protests as seen in Algeria this week and Mozambique in 2010,” the statement read.
