ABOUT THE EXPO

The Africa FarmTech Expo is a premium regional farming exhibition and conference focused on aiding the farming and agricultural transformation in Kenya, Eastern Africa and Africa in general.

The Expo is organised by FW Africa, the leading organiser of trade shows and conferences in the food, agriculture, healthcare and general sectors of the economy in Africa.

Huge potential, challenges abound

Agriculture is the backbone of Kenya’s economy, accounting for 33% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employing over 40% of the total population. The sector is also a major source of export earnings, accounting for 65% of total exports.

Kenya and other African countries have a wide range of agricultural potential, including fertile soils, favourable climate, and abundant water resources. The continent is also home to a diverse range of crops and livestock, which gives it a competitive advantage in global markets, if investments in new technologies and farm practices can be improved significantly.

The agriculture sector in Kenya and Africa faces a number of challenges, including:

• Low productivity: Agricultural productivity in Kenya and Africa is low compared to other continents. This is due to a number of factors, including poor infrastructure, lack of access to credit, and limited use of modern agricultural technologies.
• High levels of poverty: The majority of people employed in the agriculture sector are smallholder farmers, who often live in poverty. This is due to low productivity, high levels of rural unemployment, and limited access to markets.
• Climate change: Climate change is a major threat to the agriculture sector in Kenya. The country is already experiencing more frequent and severe droughts, floods, and pests. These events are damaging crops and livestock, and reducing agricultural productivity.

Despite these challenges, the agriculture sector has the potential to play a major role in Kenya and Africa’s economic development.

By addressing the challenges facing the agricultural sector, Kenya and Africa as a whole can increase agricultural productivity, reduce poverty, and improve food security. 

Some of the emerging sectors in Africa include aquaculture and fresh produce which adds to the untapped opportunities in other well-established sectors such as the cereals, floriculture, meat, coffee, tea, dairy and livestock, among many others.

Experts advice that for Kenya and Africa to derive more productivity out of the agriculture sector, the following areas will require emphasis by the government, private sector, non-profit and other stakeholders:

• Invest in infrastructure: African countries must invest in infrastructure, such as roads, railways, and irrigation systems. This will help to improve access to markets and reduce the cost of transporting agricultural goods.
• Promote access to credit: Smallholder farmers and emerging commercial farmers need access to credit to finance their agricultural activities. The government can provide loans to farmers at subsidized rates, while banks and other financial service provider need to make credit more accessible.
• Support the use of modern agricultural technologies: The government and the private sector and other players can provide better access to modern agricultural technologies, such as fertilizers, pesticides, equipment and improved seeds, to increase agricultural productivity.
• Adopt climate-smart agricultural practices: Kenya needs to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices, such as drought-resistant crops and water-efficient irrigation systems. This will help to protect crops and livestock from the effects of climate change.

The Africa FarmTech Expo is the regional platform that seeks to enhance Kenya and Africa’s ability to boost its agriculture sector, by bringing together all the key stakeholders to discover new ideas and technologies that will improve agriculture productivity, reduce costs and risks while making the sector more sustainable and climate resilient. 

Join us at the 2024 edition of the Expo for a memorable experience and thousands of business, networking and social opportunities . . .