2019 U.S. – Africa AgTech Forum| Technology & Food Security: Facilitating A Digital Revolution In Agriculture

The U.S. – Africa Agtech Forum on Agricultural Technology came off on the margins of the Borlaug Dialogue International Symposium. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce partnered with The World Food Prize, The World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and Cultivation Corridor to bring together over 150 attendees, including U.S. Government Official and Ministers from across Africa to discuss the nexus of technology in agriculture.

Nearly 800 million people do not have access to sufficient and nutritious food to live a healthy life. With the global population expected to reach 9 billion by 2015, the challenge of feeding the world is set to become even more acute.

Beyond the impact of global health, there is ample evidence linking food insecurity to physical security threats, creating broad implications that transcend national borders. It’s also estimated that changes in agriculture and land use are responsible for roughly 25% of greenhouse gas emissions – making the drive for food security a potential exacerbating factor in climate change if not paired with more efficient and sustainable agricultural practices.

Digital innovation has the potential to revolutionize all aspects of the agricultural value chain – increasing agricultural efficiency, reducing food waste and alleviating food insecurity in the process. If we are to realize the vision, however, governments around the world must establish a regulatory environment that facilitate, rather than stifle, such technological solutions.

To ensure that we leverage the potential of digital innovation to transform the agricultural value chain and meet our shared objectives, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and the World Food Prize encourage governments around the world to adopt the following principles;

 

  1. Foster innovation through an appropriate regulatory environment.
  2. Prioritize internet access and consumer choice.
  3. Promote increased access to finance.
  4. Commit to a cross-border data flow.
  5. Facilitate broad access to government data.
  6. Implement good regulatory practices for Sanitary & Phytosanitary (SPs) measures.
  7. Modernize customs for the digital era.
  8. Support supply chain transparency.
  9. Protect intellectual property and international investment.
  10. Use international standards to avoid non-tariff barriers.
  11. Foster trust in the digital ecosystem via best-in-class cybersecurity practices.

Kosmos Energy Opens The KIC Incubation Hub In Accra

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Kosmos Energy, Andy Inglis, accompanied by Country Manager, Joe Mensah, and Deputy Minister of Energy, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, on Wednesday, October 2, 2019, officially opened the Kosmos Innovation Centre Incubation Hub in Accra.

The hub is a 3,053 square meters multipurpose facility with co-working spaces and training rooms with the capacity to host about 20-25 startups from the KIC agritech challenge and serves as a springboard into the entrepreneurship world. It will also allow companies to scheduled sessions with coaches and mentors.

“Kosmos was once a start-up, too. We know what it’s like to see an opportunity, pursue a dream, and build a business.” Andy Inglis, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Kosmos Energy noted while delivering his remarks. He added that Kosmos Energy’s interest in Ghana is beyond just oil exploration, but to create economic opportunities as well.

Deputy Minister of Energy, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, commended Kosmos for the initiative. “I do not doubt that the many people the centre is turning out are going to take strategic positions in the Agric sector of our country and help to revolutionize and modernize agriculture to contribute to the growth of our economy,” the Minister added. He also urged beneficiaries of the programme to pass on their knowledge to others.

Country Manager of Kosmos Energy Ghana and AmCham Ghana President, Joe Mensah, charged entrepreneurs under the KIC incubation management program to make the best out of the newly built edifice.

“Yes they will have access to experts in the field and a pool of knowledge to shape their business, but one key thing is the opportunity to learn from each other and shape their businesses with personal experiences,” he said.

Kosmos Energy through the Kosmos Innovation Centre has so far created nineteen startups and with an investment of over $300,000 in seed capital.

The Kosmos Innovation Center inspires entrepreneurship by training participants to see opportunities that others miss, give them the confidence to view themselves as entrepreneurs not employees and job creators instead of job seekers. They do this by delivering a best-in-class leadership and entrepreneurship program.

They all out by providing a full life-cycle of support to the most promising entrepreneurs, start-ups, and small businesses. They do it through tailored coaching, skills building, expert mentorship, seed funding, and facilitating connections within and across industries.

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AmCham Ghana Meet With Pyxera Global and Jaipur Rugs To Discuss The Future Of Weaving In Ghana

AmCham Ghana met with Pyxera Global and Jaipur Rugs to discuss opportunities in Ghana’s weaving industry and means to promote and preserve craftsmanship in the sector, and also connect it to the global supply chain under the African Artisan Community Engagement and Export Initiative.

Under-resourced artisan communities face constant challenges that pose a significant risk to their long-term stability. They confront the impacts of globalization, climate change, and technological advances.

Specifically, communities of weavers across the African continent are under threat. While woven fabric holds with its cultural identity and connection, local demand for these cloths are in significant decline, and demand for high-quality woven fabrics within the countries where they are produced is extremely low today, not in small part because of low-cost Chinese imports or other machine-produced and less expensive options.

To address the challenges faced by weaving communities while taking advantage of the rising global demand for artisan products, the African Artisan Community Engagement and Export Initiative (AACEE) partners – AmCham Ghana,  PYXERA Global Ghana, Association of Ghana Industries,  and Jaipur Rugs, propose a highly unusual approach—the replication or adaptation of the framework of a scaled handicraft enterprise in India to Africa.

This broad effort seeks to transform weaving communities from producers of handicrafts into hubs of entrepreneurial excellence. Beginning in Ghana and Ethiopia, weavers in the AACEE program will participate in skilling activities, receive contracts for the delivery of specific woven products, and be linked into high-value global supply chains.

Jaipur Rugs is a 40-year-old, fully-scaled artisan enterprise that works with 40,000 women weavers in India, as well as with entrepreneurs across the rug supply chain, and with luxury handicraft
buyers in dozens of countries. Jaipur Rugs will serve as a knowledge partner, sharing their proven model for scale, as well as insights and connections to potential retail and wholesale export markets.

Executive Secretary of AmCham Ghana, Simon Madjie, assured that the chamber is ready and will provide the necessary support to ensure the success of the  African Artisan Community Engagement and Export Initiative.

 

AmCham Ghana President Meets Pamela Ward, Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs & Regional Commercial Officer Sub-Saharan Africa

AmCham Ghana President, Joe Mensah, met with Pamela Ward, Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs & Regional Commercial Officer Sub-Saharan Africa.

They discussed improving America’s involvement in the development of Ghana and means to further improve direct trade between the two nations by making it easier for traders and supplier to source directly from the United States.

Also discussed at the meeting was making investing in Ghana attractive to the diaspora.  According to Joe Mensah, the diaspora must get involved. “We all need to engage, and when we find something wrong, we all find means to solve it.” He added.

The President of the chamber also shared with Pamela Ward,  some of the chamber’s advocacy activities aimed at policy formulation and change to improve the business climate in Ghana.

Pamela Ward has over twenty years of experience supporting U.S. business in international markets as a Foreign Commercial Officer for the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Also present at the meeting were AmCham Ghana Executive Secretary, Simon Madjie, and Hannah Kamenetsky, Senior Commercial Officer, U.S. Embassy Accra.

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AmCham Ghana Business Reception With 2019 African Green Revolution Forum Delegates

AmCham Ghana, under the auspices of the U.S. Ambassador and the U.S. Embassy in Ghana, hosted selected delegates of the just ended 2019 African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) for a business reception.

The reception which was hosted at the residence of the U.S. Ambassador to Ghana allowed AmCham Ghana members to interact with the selected delegates, share ideas and establish relations for possible future collaborations.

The AGRF is considered the world’s most important and impactful forum for African agriculture, pulling together stakeholders in the agricultural landscape to take practical actions and share lessons that will move African agriculture forward.

Since the first AGRF was held in Ghana in 2010, the Forum has annually brought together Heads of State, Ministers, business leaders, development partner leadership, researchers, thought leaders, farmer organization representatives, youth entrepreneurs, and other critical stakeholders to focus on the actions and policies needed to move the continental agenda forward.

AmCham Ghana Hosts Governor Of Mississippi, Phil Bryant For A Dinner Reception

The Chamber on August 15, 2019, hosted the visiting Governor of Mississippi, Phil Bryant and his trade delegation for a Dinner Reception in Accra. The event was to allow the Governor to meet with AmCham Ghana Executives and business leaders for a discussion on possible business collaborations.

Governor Bryant is in Ghana to expand and promote trade and investment opportunities between Mississippi and Ghana. During his remarks, he said, a lot of investors based in Mississipi are interested in doing business in Ghana, the reason for which he is in the country to build an economic and investment bridge to facilitate future trade.

AmCham Ghana President, Joe Mensah, welcomed the Governor and his delegation. He shared with them some activities that the Chamber was engaged in and assured the Governor that Ghana is the best place to do business on the continent.

The Governor also visited AmCham member, Strategic Security Systems Limited, a solar panel assembly plant in Kpone in the Greater Accra Region, where he saw first-hand the positive effects of U.S. Government’s engagement in facilitating bilateral trade and investment ties under the Power Africa program through the U.S. Trade and Development Agency.

 

 

Also present at the event were, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Ghana Embassy, Christopher J. Lamora, USAID Ghana Deputy Chief of Mission, Steven E. Hendrix, Consular Section Chief at the U.S. Ghana Embassy, Jayne Howell, and other Mission officers.

 

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AmCham Ghana Visits Landtours Corporate Travel Ticketing Centre

The American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana, on Tuesday, August 13, 2019, paid a visit to the new Landtours Corporate Travel Ticketing Centre.  In a bid to expand its offering and ensure that their scope of service is beneficial to a larger client-base at home, the Corporate Travel division of Landtours has opened a brand new airline ticketing centre right in the heart of Labone.

The Corporate Travel division offers a multi-faceted travel service to corporate clients that takes care of all travel needs. Not only can they book all your staff flights- Landtours has the capacity to make meal reservations, secure hotel accommodations, and arrange transportation services including airport transfers, car rentals, and limousine services worldwide.

Landtours realizes that travel can be challenging for individuals to manage and it is especially demanding for families and working professionals who do not have the time to switch back and forth between comparison websites that offer no real security or guarantees. Landtours is, therefore, offering a service to walk-in clients that take care of all their needs. On the 20th of May, 2019 the brand new airline ticketing centre was opened to the general public to walk in and inquire about or purchase tickets on all major airlines.

Landtours wishes to take the burden of travel planning off by doing all the hard work comparing routes and fares. There is also the added security of dealing with qualified and trained agents who are equipped with the skill to book the best routes and uncover the most competitive fares. Their ticketing centre delivers savings, service, and security with the ultimate goal of providing greater value to the client and satisfaction to all.

There will be an ongoing Early Bird Promotion running to award customers who purchase tickets an array of special prizes from free airport transfers, airport lounge access and many more.

Landtours Ghana Limited is a full-service destination management company based in Accra, Ghana and operating in Ghana, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Gambia, and Sao Tome. Landtours has operated in Ghana for 23 years offering tour packages, ground handling, conference services, car rental services, corporate ticketing, and much more.

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PYXERA Presents Concept Note On AmCham Ghana Pro Bono Support To YALI Regional Center

Country Director for PYXERA  Global, Barbara Gbologah-Quaye, presented the concept note on AmCham Ghana’s pro bono support to YALI Accra RLC to the President of AmCham Ghana, Joe Mensah and the Chamber’s Executive Secretary, Simon Madjie. Also present were the Project Director for the Accra Regional Leadership Center, Shola Safo-Duodu and, the Curriculum and Content Manager, Jasper Tetteh Ahafianyo.

The presentation of the concept note is a follow up to the MoU signed in March of 2019 between the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Accra Regional Leadership Center and the American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana to establish a framework for communication and collaboration between the organizations where AmCham will serve as a Resource Partner and  a Driver of Sustainability.

The document contained a timeline and overview of steps to take to achieve the goals contained in the MoU.

President of the Chamber, Joe Mensah commended PYXERA for creating the comprehensive document and was pleased to see the MoU move from the signing stage to implementation. He said AmCham is committed and ready to support YALI in training high-quality young leaders.

 

About AmCham Ghana

The American Chamber of Commerce (Ghana) is a voluntary association of professional and business people, working to create an environment where business can thrive between Ghanaian and American communities. AMCHAM exists to promote commercial, economic, educational and cultural ties between the United States of America and the Republic of Ghana.
Amcham is the first point of resort for sourcing business contacts for US Trade and Congressional delegations. Over the years, the Chamber has met with and briefed many Trade and Congressional delegations. Learn more…
About YALI

The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) was launched by the United States government as a signature effort to invest in the next generation of African leaders. The need to invest in grooming strong, results-oriented leaders comes out of the statistics: nearly 1 in 3 Africans are between the ages of 10 and 24, and approximately 60% of Africa’s total population is below the age of 35. Who will empower and lead these young Africans? Who will shape the future of business and entrepreneurship, civic leadership, and public management? To answer these questions, YALI promotes three models designed to identify and empower young leaders: the YALI Mandela Washington Fellowship, YALI Network and now the establishment of Regional Leadership Centers across Africa.

Supporting this progress, the Accra Regional Leadership Centre (RLC), as part of the United States government initiative, Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI), will offer an innovative and game-changing leadership training program in Africa. The program will be hosted by Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), and the first cohort will walk through the doors on the 31st July 2014. Learn more…

AmCham Hosts Students And Faculty From Jackson State University

The American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana, on June 10, 2019, hosted students and faculty from the Jackson State University (JSU), Mississippi, as part of their short-term- faculty-led international experience that includes organized cultural, research, and experiential learning activity. At the meeting, the students interacted with the President and some members of AmCham as well as senior officials from the United States Embassy in Ghana on the socio-cultural and business environment in Ghana.

According to the students, their trip to various parts of the country gave them practical experience and a deeper understanding of the history and culture of Ghana – especially the transatlantic slave trade- as well as the Ghanaian business environment. They also expressed the desire to learn about the public health sector and the Ghanaian educational system.

Addressing the students, Mr. Joe Mensah, President of AmCham, stressed the importance of exchange programs that foster knowledge sharing between businesses and the academic community. He further stated that, AmCham Ghana is the most dynamic chamber in sub-Saharan Africa and that the Chamber supports all American companies and Americans in the country to ensure their success. He also noted that Ghana’s agriculture sector contribution to GDP declined over the years due to factors such as aging population and lack of interest from the youth among others. He was however optimistic of the progress currently being made in the sector and highlighted some investments American companies have made to revive the agriculture sector in the country. He then stressed the need for American companies to take advantage of the common language and the similarity of laws between Ghana and America to invest in the country and the African continent at large.

Members of the chamber, drawing from their years of experience in Ghana and other African countries, also educated the students on the services of AmCham, the business environment in Ghana, possible funding sources for American students, as well as the challenges in African national leadership.

In addition, Hannah Kamenepsky, Senior Commercial Officer of the U.S Embassy in Ghana, briefed the students on Ghana’s strong trade partnership with the U.S, its growing economy, and its attractive business environment.

Finally, Mr. Joe Mensah, in closing the meeting, thanked the students and also expressed his gratitude to the U.S Embassy for their support to AMCHAM over years.

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AmCham Ghana Supports United Way Ghana For Nyansapo Literacy Project

The Chamber joined United Way Ghana to launch of the Nyansapo Literacy Project at the Ayebeng A &B Memorial Basic School in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.

The Nyansapo Literacy Project is a United Way Ghana initiative which is sponsored by the American Chamber of Commerce, Ghana, to promote childhood literacy at the Ayebeng Memorial Primary School in Accra. The launch will kick start a weekly literacy engagement of students in lower primary and make reading books available in every classroom to encourage reading among students.

Speaking at the event, AmCham Ghana Executive Secretary, Simon Madjie, said the Chamber exists to promote investment between Ghana and the United States but also takes a keen interest in educating the future businessmen and women who will take charge of these investments. He said the Chamber is pleased to sponsor the Nyansapo Literacy Project and will be willing to offer further support in the future.

A major component of the project – ‘Library In A Box’ was presented to the school. Each class in the school was given a box of books to make materials accessible & inspire reading culture in pupils.

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