By Eyasu Zekarias
The 4th All Africa Postharvest Congress and Exhibition (AAPHCE), under the theme, “Sustainable Postharvest Management; Boosting Intra-African Agricultural Trade and Enhancing Food and Nutrition Security” has successfully been held.
The four day program which was hosted at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia ran through September 19 to the 22nd, where issues such as strengthening partnerships to promote sustainable post-harvest practices, new technologies to reduce production losses, polices and strategies were addressed by pertinent parties concerned.
More than 450 farmers, extension agents, traders, researchers, academicians, innovators, police officers, development partners and other stakeholders including private sector representatives attended the event.
Addis Ababa University Associate Professor of Food and Nutrition, Ashagre Zewudu (Dr.), who participated in the AAPHCE pointed out that Ethiopia’s postharvest is up to 70 percent while the production loss feeds was at about 25 million people.
African Union Commission Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, Ambassador Josepha Leonel Corria Sacko, World Resources Institute Vice President and Regional Director for Africa Wanjira Mathai, African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)Secretary General Wamkele Mene, during their individual opening speeches at the congress on Tuesday, highlighted that, “Post-harvest wastage continues to be a development challenge in Africa, and in order to avoid this, all parties concerned should liaise with each other to combat the situation.”
This year’s congress saw more than 1300 participants, from 100 plus organizations across 45 countries attending the event.
