Sterling Bank holds agriculture summit on 22 September
By Matthew Eloyi
Sterling Bank Plc, in collaboration with Leadway Assurance, Saro Africa, Thrive Agric, AFEX Commodities Exchange Limited, GIZ AFC, Mastercard Foundation, and Stears Data Arrangement, has concluded plans to hold the fourth edition of Agriculture Summit Africa (ASA) between 22 and 23 September 2021.
The event is expected to draw participants from across the African continent.
According to a press release made available to newsmen, the Group Managing Director (GMD) of Saro Africa, Mr Rasheed Sarumi, will deliver the keynote address at the Summit.
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A statement issued by Group Head of Agric and Solid Minerals with Sterling Bank, Mrs Bukola Awosanya, said the summit with the theme: “Building The New Agro Order,” would hold remotely simultaneously in Abuja, and Lagos between 22 and 23 September.
Awosanya described Sarumi as an accomplished entrepreneur who spearheaded the growth of Saro Agro Sciences as the pioneer Managing Director from inception in 1991 till 2010. “He is currently the GMD of Saro Africa International, a group made up of companies with an interest in agro-input solutions, heavy agro-industrial processing, and consumer goods,” she said.
Giving a further outline of the activities lined up for the summit, she said Professor Benedict Oramah would also present a keynote address on the Green Mile – AfCFTA, Trade and Africa’s Agribusiness Economy on the opening day of the summit, while Dr Gerald Smith, Consulate General, Nigeria, Benin, and Cameroon at the US Embassy, would present another keynote address on the closing day of the summit with the sub-theme: All-Inclusive Agriculture (Food Security, Raw Materials Production and Innovative Funding Solutions).
The session will be moderated and led by Kanayo Awani, Vice President of AFREXIM and Managing Director and CEO of Intra-African Trade, and Dr Ikechukwu Kelikume, Head of Agribusiness Management Programme at the Lagos Business School.
The second session will discuss the theme “Non-oil Commodities Export as a Game Changer in the African Economy.” Discussants include Dr Vincent Isegbe, DG, NAQS; Ebenezer Idachaba, representative of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA); Ayodeji Balogun, MD/CEO of AFEX; Kenneth Obiajulu and Serge Seudieu, Country Manager of ACE Global. It will be moderated and led by Mrq Olusegun Awolowo, ED/CEO, Nigeria Export Promotion Commission (NEPC).
Issues of food security, building a resilient food production system as well as innovative value chain financing in Africa are expected to engage the minds of discussants.
Sterling Bank holds agriculture summit on 22 September