The second edition of the African Conference on Agricultural Technologies (ACAT) will be hosted in Kigali, Rwanda from June 9-13, 2025
ACAT is a premier biennial forum for driving the uptake of agricultural innovations and practical
solutions to address the pressing challenges facing farmer productivity in Africa.
Organized by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), the conference fosters collaboration, knowledge exchange, and actionable strategies to propel agricultural development in the region.
“As a country, we are pleased to co-host the second edition of ACAT 2025 and are honoured to welcome the global, regional, and local communities to Kigali for this important forum. We look forward to discussing actionable solutions to the challenges facing the agricultural sector, not only in Rwanda but across Africa, to drive change and foster growth,” said Dr. Alexandre Rutikanga, Chief Technical Advisor of the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Rwanda, who spoke on behalf on the Minister, Dr. Ildephonse Musafiri.
Dr. Rutikanga added: “The timing of the conference could not have come at a better time when the continent is struggling to feed its people and climate change is posing serious challenges to our collective prosperity, a challenge whose solution lies in innovation and technology.”
Like the inaugural ACAT forum in Kenya in 2023, the upcoming conference will bring together a diverse array of stakeholders, including government representatives, industry thought leaders, technical experts, private institutions, farmers, women, and youth from around the globe.
With a shared goal of addressing the critical issue of technology access and utilization in the agricultural sector, participants will engage in dynamic discussions, collaborative workshops, and interactive sessions aimed at defining actionable strategies and solutions.
Held under the theme: “NextGen Ag-Tech Solutions for Africa’s Farmers”, the upcoming conference represents a unique opportunity to harness the collective expertise, experiences, and insights of a global network of stakeholders dedicated to driving agricultural innovation and progress in Africa.
Dr. Canisius Kanangire, Executive Director, AATF, noted that ACAT will highlight the centrality of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in fostering agricultural transformation, especially in addressing key challenges facing African farmers.
“While technology development has steadily grown, with new advancements introduced through research and partnerships, there has been little diffusion of actual products to their intended beneficiaries, especially farmers, entrepreneurs, and consumers. This is largely due to persistent bottlenecks that lead to low return on the large investment in agricultural technology research and development, preventing these products from reaching the market and achieving their intended impact,” said Dr. Kanangire.
He pointed out that ACAT will continue to provide the much-needed platform for stakeholders who are keen on progressing the continent’s socio-economic development, food, and nutrition security through innovative agricultural technologies.
“This conference will help to put a spotlight on the numerous game-changing innovations that have been developed and highlight opportunities to address the multiple stressors facing the sector due to population growth, climate change and other factors,” he noted.
Sources: https://scienceafrica.co.ke & https://rwandadispatch.com