Rwanda has expressed gladness that it would be hosting the second edition of African Conference on Agricultural Technology (ACAT), a gathering of experts and stakeholders in biotechnology that was first hosted in Nairobi, Kenya two years ago.
Rwanda’s Chief Technical Advisor of the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, who spoke on behalf on the Minister Hon. Dr. Ildephonse Musafiri, said, “As a country, we are pleased to co-host the second edition of ACAT 2025 and are honored to welcome the global, regional, and local communities to Kigali for this important forum, adding that their expectations are high, as they look forward forward to discussing actionable solutions to the challenges facing the agricultural sector, not only in Rwanda but across Africa, to drive change and foster growth.
“The timing of the conference could not have come at a better time when the continent is struggling to feed its people and climate change is posing serious challenges to our collective prosperity, a challenge whose solution lies in innovation and technology,” Dr. Rutikanga said.
ACAT is the foremost forum that focuses on game-changing novel agricultural technologies, ideas, and policies that foster agricultural transformation on the continent. The Conference is an agriculture technology transfer platform that promotes innovative and practical solutions to catalyse more efficient, inclusive, and resilient agriculture in Africa. It will bring together government representatives, industry thought leaders, policymakers, technical experts, private institutions, farmers, women and youth across the globe to discuss and define practical actions and solutions to the challenges of technology access and use faced in the agriculture sector in Africa.
Dr. Canisius Kanangire, Executive Director, AATF, noted that ACAT will highlight the centrality of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in fostering agricultural transformation, especially in addressing key challenges facing African farmers.
“While technology development has steadily grown, with new advancements introduced through research and partnerships, there has been little diffusion of actual products to their intended beneficiaries, especially farmers, entrepreneurs, and consumers. This is largely due to persistent bottlenecks that lead to low return on the large investment in agricultural technology research and development, preventing these products from reaching the market and achieving their intended impact,” said Dr. Kanangire.
He pointed out that ACAT will continue to provide the much-needed platform for stakeholders who are keen on progressing the continent’s socio-economic development, food, and nutrition security through innovative agricultural technologies.
“This conference will help to put a spotlight on the numerous game-changing innovations that have been developed and highlight opportunities to address the multiple stressors facing the sector due to population growth, climate change and other factors,” He noted.
Dr. Kanangire further stated that ACAT will provide a unique platform to discuss barriers to technology transfer and propose strategies for transforming existing technologies into next generation technologies capable of enhancing productivity and effectively addressing the challenges faced by African farmers.
The inaugural ACAT was held in Nairobi, Kenya, last year in response to the need for a high-level, STI-focused discussion forum.
ACAT 2025 will drive progress in agricultural technology through solution-oriented discussions; inclusive participation; and advancing scientific research on the theme NextGen Ag-Tech Solutions for Africa’s Farmers
