Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini joins FARA and CCARDESA to organize the 8th Africa Agribusiness and Science Week

The leadership of FARA and CCARDESA led by Ms Bongiwe Njobe, a FARA Board member, Dr Yemi Akinbamijo (FARA Executive Director),  Prof. Cliff Dlamini (Executive Director of CCARDESA), in the company of Mr Simon Mukeze (CCARDESA Finance Manager), held a meeting with Honorable Jabulani Mabuza, Minister of Agriculture, Kingdom of Eswatini on the state of preparedness of the Eighth African Agribusiness and Science Week (AASW8) which has been planned to take place in Durban during the week of June 5, 2023.

The AASW is the foremost continental platform of all African stakeholders involved in agriculture and agribusiness research and innovation. The forum assembles over 1,500 stakeholders to take stock of progress on research and innovation, share information, network, create business alliances, and map out priorities for joint action. The 8th edition of the AASW will be held in Durban, South Africa, from June 5 to 8, 2023. It will focus on a topical issue on the Continent, including strengthening linkages between agribusiness and science and innovation to improve its productivity and competitiveness in the agro-industry.

The meeting secured the commitment of the Honourable Minister of Agriculture of Eswatini, the vivid engagement of the agriculture private sector practitioners, and the science community of Eswatini towards the Durban meeting. The Minister expressed his appreciation and optimism that the AASW will help strengthen and stimulate engagements of relevant stakeholders for accelerating the continent’s agricultural productivity, particularly for the Kingdom of Eswatini.

From left: Dr Yemi Akinbamijo, Hon Jabulani Mabuza, Ms Bongiwe Njobe, Mr Simon Mukeze & Prof. Cliff Dlamini

The meeting also created opportunities for greater collaboration between the stakeholders of the Kingdom of Eswatini and Agriculture Research for Development (ARD) institutions. Both parties expressed optimism that this collaboration would positively change the efforts to strengthen research, business, and policy linkages and achieve better outcomes for Africa’s agricultural sector.

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