Launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2020, Catalyst 2030 is a fast-growing global movement of people and organizations committed to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The movement emphasizes systemic change, collaboration, and innovation to tackle the most pressing global challenges. Catalysing Change Week (CCW) is a flagship event of Catalyst 2030, bringing together social entrepreneurs, innovators, and change-makers from around the world to discuss and promote transformative solutions. The event aims...
Panel discussants during the 33rd FAO African Conference in Rabat, Morocco As part of its mandate to promote networking and information sharing on policy issues, AFRACA honored an invitation by the FAO chief of the African region to participate in the 33rd FAO African Conference. Held from April 18-20, 2024, at the Sofitel Hotel in Rabat, Morocco, this Ministerial conference brought together over 300 participants, including Ministers of Agriculture from all African countries, their respective delegations, private sector players, and...
Members of the AFRACA Impact Task Force during the AITF meeting held at Kenya School of Monetary Studies, Nairobi, 21 March 2024 AFRACAâs maiden impact report presented during the 22nd General Assembly established a baseline whose primary objective was to put in place a framework for tracking the progress of AFRACA and its network of members over time. During the Assembly, members sanctioned the AFRACA Impact task force (AITF) to build on the resolutions towards a more robust framework. On March 21,...
AFRACA and FAO collaborated in convening a pivotal side event during the 68th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68). Held virtually, the event focused on âAlternatives to Collateral and Womenâs Financial Inclusion,â addressing the pressing issue of collateral as a barrier to women’s access to finance, especially in Rural Agricultural Finance (RAF). Mr. Thomas Essel, Secretary General of AFRACA delivered the keynote address while Mme. Azaratou Sondo Nignan, Directeur GĂ©nĂ©rale, FaĂźtiĂšre des Caisses...
AFRACA Secretary General, Mr. Thomas Essel (left) with ALIDE Secretary Edgardo Alvarez (center) during ALIDE 54th General Assembly Meeting in Fortaleza, Brazil In a landmark decision at a meeting held alongside the ALIDE General Assembly in Fortaleza, Brazil, AFRACA was officially announced as the host of the 8th World Congress on Rural and Agricultural Finance in 2025. During the assembly, Mr. Essel engaged in productive discussions with other heads of RACAs, highlighting AFRACA’s preparations for the 2025 World Congress. They emphasized the need...
AFRACA is honored to serve as the inaugural Chair of the Technical Working Party âTransforming Ecosystems for Jobs in Agriculture through Technology and Innovationâ loosely being referred to as âTWP-TEJATIâ that was extended by the Agritech Kenya County Fair Secretariat. The overarching task of the âTWP-TEJATIâ is to evoke the minds of/and innovatively engage stakeholders across 47 counties of Kenya in thinking jobs for Youth, Women and PWDs in agriculture along agriculture value chains through employing a new paradigm...
Representatives of INCITIS Food Project led by Prof. Gertrud Buchenreider (third front), Dr. Emmanuel Benjamin, Mr. Thomas Essel, AFRACA Secretary General, paid a courtesy call to the Oyo State Governor, Eng. Seyi Makinde (center) The second General Assembly of the Integrated and Circular Technologies for Sustainable city region FOOD systems in Africaâ or INCITIS-Food project was held from 3 to 10 February 2024 at the University of Ibadan which is also a member of the Consortium in the Horizon Europe research...
(First picture, right) Mr. Thomas Ammerl, Head of Unit, Bavarian Research Alliance (Bayfor) with Mr. Thomas Essel, AFRACA Secretary General during BayFor side event at UNGA7. (Second picture, left) Mr. Thomas Essel, AFRACA Secretary General, Dr. James Mwangi, CBS, Equity Bank Group and Conservationist, Dr. Paula Kahumbu during the Kenya Development Alliance side event at UNGA78 New connections! New opportunities! The Science Summit convened alongside the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. It is customary for the high-level...
PHOTO: Participants during the AFRACA Agri-SME Training Workshop at Travellers Beach Hotel and Lodge, Mombasa, Kenya, 27th November to 1st December 2023 AFRACAâs international training workshop on New trends and models in Agri-SME loan assessment is an enhancement of its previous training which focused exclusively on the Ag. Loan Analyzer tool. The training convened from 27th November 2023 to 1st December 2023 at Travellers Beach Hotel and Lodge, Mombasa, Kenya. A comparative analysis of traditional assessment methods with emerging trends in...
