1st Webinar on Food Agro Industry Innovations in African Universities by the AAU Food Agro Industry Network Learning Hub

The Association of African Universities’ Food Agro Industry Network Learning Hub invites you to participate in its first webinar with details as follows:

Date:  March 13, 2025

Time: 2 pm Nigeria time.

Speaker: Professor John H. Muyonga, Professor of Food Science at Makerere University
Register via this link – https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/CiwHIN6eTsei5nCL1LJH0g

Agenda

Opening remarks by AAU Secretary General

Citation of the Keynote Speaker

Lecture – 30 minutes

Q & A Session – 15 minutes.

Closing Remarks by Chairman, Agro-Food Industry Network

Vote of Thanks by Prof Olusola Ladokun

Background

The food and agro-industry plays a critical role in Africa’s economic development, employment generation, and food security. However, despite the continent’s vast agricultural potential, the sector continues to face challenges such as low productivity, post-harvest losses, inadequate processing infrastructure, and limited innovation uptake. Universities, as centers of research and innovation, have a crucial role in addressing these challenges by developing new technologies, improving value chains, and enhancing industry-academia collaborations.

The 1st Webinar on Food Agro-Industry Innovations in African Universities seeks to create a platform for stakeholders to explore innovative approaches to food processing, preservation, value addition, and sustainable agro-industrial development. By fostering discussions among academics, industry experts, policymakers, and entrepreneurs, the webinar will highlight opportunities to bridge the gap between research and commercialization in Africa’s food sector.

Purpose

The main objectives of the webinar are to:

1. Showcase Innovations – Highlight groundbreaking research, technological advancements, and innovative business models emerging from African universities in the food and agro-industry.
2. Strengthen Academia-Industry Linkages – Promote collaboration between universities, agro-processors, and policymakers to drive commercialization and industrial growth.
3. Enhance Capacity Building – Provide insights into skills development, entrepreneurship, and workforce readiness for food industry professionals.
4. Address Challenges – Identify critical barriers to innovation adoption and propose solutions for scaling up university-led research in the agro-industrial sector.

Expected Participants 

The webinar is expected to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders, including:

• University Professors and Researchers – Experts in food science, agro-processing, and related disciplines.
• Students and Young Innovators – Postgraduate and undergraduate students with research interests in food technology and agro-industrial innovations.
• Agro-Industry Practitioners – Representatives from food processing companies, agribusiness firms, and startups.
• Government and Policy Makers – Officials from ministries of agriculture, trade, industry, and higher education.
• Development Partners and Donors – Organizations supporting agricultural and industrial innovation in Africa.
• Entrepreneurs and Investors – Individuals seeking business opportunities in agro-processing and value addition.
• Professional Associations and Networks – Members of food science and technology bodies, such as the West Africa Association of Food Science and Technology (WAAFoST) and the African Union’s agribusiness networks.