‘Agrichain Investment in Africa Forum’ Crosses Threshold of African Agriculture

Ben Guerir – The Mohammed VI Polytechnic University’s (UM6P) main campus in Ben Guerir hosted today the first edition of the “Agrichain Investment in Africa Forum” organized by INNOVX and OCP AFRICA, in an effort to support the long-term growth of African agriculture.

Themed “African Agriculture: from Economic Integration to Innovative Solutions,” the Forum is devoted to investments in Agricultural Value Chains (CVA).

The forum’s main goal is to bring together important CVA actors to spur innovation and promote the sustainable structuring of these chains, explained Senior Vice President West Africa at OCP Africa Mohamed Hettiti in an introductory speech.

Senior Vice President West Africa at OCP Africa Mohamed Hettiti giving his introductory speech

The forum also seeks to promote a culture of cooperation and solid ties among all interested parties. Additionally, it intends to attract business in order to finance sustainable agriculture in Africa.

By encouraging the use of suitable financial instruments and urging the mobilization of sustainable agricultural investments, this event supports the achievement of the continent’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

While crucial for the majority of countries, the agricultural sector receives less than 3% of the continent’s total economic support.

“That shows that there is a lack of investment in agriculture in Africa. One of the reasons is that the investments in agricultural value chains are considered as risky by investors,” Vice President Business Development at INNOVX Othman El Yaalaoui told Morocco World News (MWN) in a statement, explaining the reason behind this financing gap.

This is what has prompted organizers of the event to organize such panel discussions with a view to “de-risking” these investments.

Panel discussion hall

“The main objective of the forum is to create a link between entrepreneurs and investors. The main target is to create business opportunities,” El Yaalaoui added.

The focus of this session was on integrated agricultural value chain plans and the critical role that innovations play in their financing and investment.

The forum brought together important stakeholders in the ecosystem, such as business owners, start-ups, investors, banks, development agencies, and elected officials, and it also provided a venue for dialogue, collaboration, and exchange.

“We are thrilled to join forces with INNOVX for this paramount event, gathering influential personalities from the comprehensive agricultural value chain to tackle the challenges and opportunities linked to investment in Africa’s agricultural realm,” said Anouar Jamali, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at OCP Africa.

“We are confident that this inaugural forum will set the stage for a distinguished annual gathering, assembling industry trailblazers to drive forward-thinking investments that foster the sustainable evolution of agriculture throughout the continent.”