Food Security Summit

Later this month, the Institute for International Research will present its inaugural Food Security Summit, dedicated to tackling the threats and nature of food security in Southern Africa.

The conference, taking place at the Wanderers Club in Joburg from 18 - 22 June, will draw analysis and debate from a wide range of topics presented by various different parties and sectors.

Ensure continued value chain efficacy by attending this crucial event designed to draw on the political, environmental, financial, economic and technological challenges of increasing food security in Southern Africa.

Be part of this crucial dialogue to manage the challenges faced to your produce, as well as be part of regional strategies and solutions to ending the devastating effects of food insecurity. This multifaceted conference will enable you and your organization to understand the various threats to food security across the agribusiness sphere and the impact that they have on food production and supply. Explore the implications of insecurity for the supply of food to both international and local markets, as well as the wholesale, distribution, processing and retail of food products.

Key topics:

• Food security in Southern Africa: a current overview and future outlook
• The government’s response to dealing with issues pertaining to food security
• Analyzing agricultural policy and legislation in South Africa and its implications for food security
• Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) in food security: the importance of business and the public sector working together
• Measuring accountability and governance in food security initiatives through both the private and public sectors
• Incorporating PPPs into Food Security and the impact that it has on business operations and food supply: a Progress Milling case study
• Nourishing young growing minds: How can CSR partner with government to address in school feeding, a million meals in just 107 days
• Procurement of food: the lessons learnt and best practices in procuring food
• Distribution of food: delivering food to aid and development programmes
• Localization for food manufacturers and processing
• Managing food surpluses and the role of food exports: importing and exporting and its relationship to food security
• Pricing of food: addressing inequality in food distribution and pricing
• What is food security worth in Southern Africa and how are initiatives being funded?
• Malnutrition: Southern Africa’s undercover disease
• Genetically-modified (GM) foods: the impact on food security, nutrition and health
• Looking at the loss of biodiversity and the consequent impact that this has on food security
• Determining the impact of land tenure reform and re-distribution on food security
• Insuring against food insecurity: managing the risks to prevent major loss
• A vehicle to facilitate transactional activity in agriculture in various African countries
• The development of innovative and sustainable farming methods in order to alleviate food insecurity
• The water crisis in Southern Africa: ensuring access to clean water for agricultural purposes and the implications for food security
• Investing in agriculture development: understanding risks, mitigating against risks and growing sustainable development and investment

Benefits of attending:

• Address the challenges that you and your organisation face and analyse the latest advances in sustainable and innovative agriculture, as well best practices from across the supply chain
• Attend and network with the most influential food security experts from Southern Africa and beyond
• Unpack the latest case studies from top companies in Southern Africa who have made food security part of their CSR strategy and have implemented solutions to ensure food security for their supply chain
• Engage in practical discussions and workshops aimed at providing you with insight and tools to ensure that you are able to mitigate the risks of food security
• Redefine and align your company’s food security and brand identity strategies in order to maintain the reputation of your business

Key speakers:

International and local energy experts including:

• Masenya Masenya, Director: Corporate Communications, Progress Milling
• Kulani Machaba, Registration and Regulatory Affairs Manager, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Du Pont Agriculture
• Jan Mocke, Chief Operating Officer, Joburg Market
• Professor Phindile Lukhele-Olorunju, Director of Research and Innovation, University of Venda
• Neil Crowder, Managing Director, Chayton Capital
• Kelvin Glen, Director, Tiger Brands Foundation
• Andries Wiese, Group Manager: Agriculture & Crop, Mutual and Federal
• Omri van Zyl, Associate Director, Deloitte Africa Agribusiness (DAAU)
• Jeunesse Park, Chief Executive Officer, Food and Trees for Africa
• As well as key presentations from Woolworths, Pick n Pay, Unilever and Technoserve

The 2 full-day workshops will focus on:

• Agribusiness: Fundamentals of agribusiness and understanding the global food and agricultural commodities market
• Investing in agriculture development: understanding risks, mitigating against risks and growing sustainable development and investment