YAW2017 Agenda
February 16-17, 2017
February 16
9:00 – 9:30 am
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
Agricultural transformation requires an enabling environment, raised productivity and the treatment of agriculture as a modern, profitable business. The Young Africa Works Summit 2017 will explore how youth are driving agricultural transformation.
Ann Miles – Director, Financial Inclusion, The MasterCard Foundation
The Honourable Jean Philbert Nsengimana – Minister of Youth and ICT, Republic of Rwanda
9:30 – 10:30 am
YOUTH KEYNOTE ADDRESSES
Three youth speakers working in the agricultural sector will share their stories, their successes, and hopes for the sector.
Followed by a Q&A session.
Co-hosts: Rita Kimani – Co-founder and CEO, FarmDrive; Laetitia Mukungu – Founder, Africa Rabbit Centre
Household Waste Fuels, a Climate Smart Solution: Jean Bosco Nzeyimana – Founder, Habona Ltd.
Empowering Young Women in Agriculture: Pilirani Khoza – Founder and Coordinator, Bunda Female Students Organisation (BUFESO)
Technology + Data = Modern Farming: Brian Bosire – Founder, UjuziKilimo
10:30 – 10:45 am
BREAK
10:45 am – 12:15 pm
SETTING THE STAGE FOR AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION
This opening plenary will explore contextual issues surrounding agricultural transformation and will delve into the Summit’s sub-themes – climate-smart agriculture, gender and technology – laying the foundation for two days of stimulating dialogue and debate.
This session will be live streamed on CNBC Africa
Moderator: Nozipho Mbanjwa – Anchor, CNBC Africa
Panelists:
Dr. Segenet Kelemu – Director General, International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe);
Dr. Lindiwe Majele Sibanda – CEO, Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN);
Dr. Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg – Director, African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD)
12:15 – 1:30 pm
LUNCH
1:30 – 2:45 pm
POLICY IN PRACTICE
During this plenary session, panelists will explore how policies and legislation can better support youth to become engines of agricultural transformation. It will also include discussion about policy coordination and youth participation in the policy process.
Moderator: Dr. William Baah-Boateng – Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Ghana
Panelists:
Francis Arinaitwe – Parish Youth Chairperson, Mayuge District, Uganda;
Prudence Nonkululeko Ngwenya – Head of Human Resources and Youth Development Division, African Union Commission;
Revelian Ngaiza – Coordinator for National Youth Agricultural Investments Development, Department of Policy and Planning, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Government of Tanzania
2:45 – 3:15 pm
BREAK
3:15 – 4:30 pm
BREAKOUT SESSIONS: CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE, TECHNOLOGY AND GENDER
1. Building Resilience to Climate Change
The agricultural sector must employ climate-smart agricultural techniques in order to be sustainable, efficient and profitable.
This session will discuss how to incorporate climate-smart agricultural practices into youth livelihoods programming and how youth are uniquely poised to respond to the challenges of climate change.
Moderator: Dr. Daniel Sherrard – Provost, EARTH University
Panelists:
Dr. Simon Winter – Senior Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School;
Samuel Muhirwa – Owner, BufCoffee Ltd;
Janet Maro – Director, Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania
2. Breaking Down Gender Barriers
Women in agriculture face unique barriers as a result of gender norms, both formal and informal, that create and reinforce inequality.
This session will explore mechanisms and approaches needed to build gender-sensitive agricultural systems in Africa.
Moderator: Dr. Jemimah Njuki – Senior Program Specialist, International Development and Research Centre (IDRC)
Panelists:
Dr. Anna Mdee – Research Associate, Overseas Development Institute (ODI);
Sithembile Mwamakamba – Project Manager, Youth in Agriculture, Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN);
Alesia Ofori – MasterCard Foundation Scholar
3. Mechanization or ICT? Agricultural Transformation through Technology
Modernizing agriculture in Africa will require making farming as a business and providing an enabling environment for youth to access modern, appropriate agricultural and digital technologies to disrupt and transform the sector.
This session will offer insight into how technologies can increase productivity, access to markets, and incomes of young farmers and agripreneurs.
Moderator: Lucy Kioko – Agriculture Product Manager, Agrifin Accelerate, Mercy Corps
Panelists:
Jonny Casey – Lead Gender Equality and Technology Innovation, Practical Action;
Carol Kakooza – Chief of Party MUIIS, The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Co-operation (CTA);
Alloysius Attah – Founder, Farmerline
4:30 – 5:00 pm
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
H.E. Rhoda Peace Tumusiime – Commissioner of Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission (AUC)
February 17
9:00 – 9:20 am
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Reeta Roy – President and CEO, The MasterCard Foundation
9:20 – 10:35 am
ENGAGING THE PRIVATE SECTOR
Understanding how companies and markets can create more economic opportunities, and the barriers that constrain the creation of additional jobs and self-employment opportunities is essential to addressing the current challenges of youth underemployment and unemployment.
This session will discuss how three private sector organizations are putting youth at the centre of agricultural transformation.
Moderator: Dr. Eleni Gabre-Madhin – CEO and Founder, blueMoon
Panelists:
Julie Greene – Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability Manager, Olam International;
Eric Kaduru – Co-founder, KadAfrica;
Farouk Jiwa – Co-founder, Farm Shop;
10:35 – 11:00 am
BREAK
11:00 am – 12:15 pm
UNLOCKING AGRIFINANCE FOR YOUTH
Barriers restricting youth access to agrifinance include a lack of collateral, savings, low or non-existent credit scores, and a perception that youth will default on their loans.
During this plenary session, panelists will explore issues of risk, access and distribution in an effort to unlock agrifinance options for youth at scale.
Moderator: Kola Masha – Managing Director, Doreo Partners
Panelists:
Andrew Youn – Executive Director & Co-founder, One Acre Fund
Roy Parizat – Senior Economist, Agriculture Global Practice, World Bank
Frank Altman – President & CEO, Community Reinvestment Fund USA
12:15 – 1:30 pm
LUNCH
1:30 – 2:30 pm
DEBATE
Proposition: Within agriculture, off-farm activities will yield the greatest opportunities for youth.
Moderator: Peter Bamkole – Director, Enterprise Development Centre, Pan-Atlantic University
Pro: Dr. David Tschirley – Professor, Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics, Michigan State University; Clarisse Murekatate – Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer, CARL Group
Con: Dr. Agnes Kalibata – President, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA); Grace Wanene – Founder, Youth Agro-Environmental Initiative
2:30 – 3:45 pm
BREAKOUT SESSIONS: CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE, TECHNOLOGY AND GENDER
1. Building Resilience to Climate Change
The agricultural sector must employ climate-smart agricultural techniques in order to be sustainable, efficient and profitable.
This session will discuss how to incorporate climate-smart agricultural practices into youth livelihoods programming and how youth are uniquely poised to respond to the challenges of climate change.
Moderator: Dr. Daniel Sherrard – Provost, EARTH University
Panelists:
Dr. Simon Winter – Senior Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School;
Samuel Muhirwa – Owner, BufCoffee Ltd;
Janet Maro – Director, Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania
2. Breaking Down Gender Barriers
Women in agriculture face unique barriers as a result of gender norms, both formal and informal, that create and reinforce inequality.
This session will explore mechanisms and approaches needed to build gender-sensitive agricultural systems in Africa.
Moderator: Dr. Jemimah Njuki – Senior Program Specialist, International Development and Research Centre (IDRC)
Panelists:
Dr. Anna Mdee – Research Associate, Overseas Development Institute (ODI)
Sithembile Mwamakamba – Project Manager, Youth in Agriculture, Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN)
Alesia Ofori – MasterCard Foundation Scholar
3. Mechanization or ICT? Agricultural Transformation through Technology
Modernizing agriculture in Africa will require treating farming as a business and providing an enabling environment for youth to access modern, appropriate agricultural and digital technologies to disrupt and transform the sector.
This session will offer insight into how technologies can increase productivity, access to markets, and income of young farmers and agripreneurs.
Moderator: Lucy Kioko – Agriculture Product Manager, Agrifin Accelerate, Mercy Corps
Panelists:
Jonny Casey – Lead, Gender Equality and Technology Innovation, Practical Action;
Carol Kakooza – Chief of Party MUIIS, The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Co-operation (CTA);
Alloysius Attah – Founder, Farmerline
3:45 – 4:15 pm
BREAK
4:15 – 4:45 pm
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Honourable Professor Ruth Oniang’o – Board Chair, Board Chair, Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) and Sasakawa Africa Fund for Extension Education (SAFE)
4:45 – 5:15 pm
CLOSING AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Peter Materu – Director, Education and Learning and Youth Livelihoods, The MasterCard Foundation
