Francois Stepman (PAEPARD) African Diaspora Agro Food Forum 2018 25th April 2018 Bouchout Castle, Botanic Garden Meise Belgium

1. AFRICAN DIASPORA AGRO FOOD FORUM 2018
25TH APRIL 2018
BOUCHOUT CASTLE, BOTANIC GARDEN MEISE BELGIUM
The potential of the Diaspora in the
development of the African agribusiness
Lessons learned from PAEPARD

2. PAEPARD Partners

3. 20 June 2017. Brussels. International Forum on Women
and Trade. Event organised by DG Trade of the European
Commission and the International Trade Center (ITC).
“The Diaspora is very
critical for the agricultural
development of Africa”

4. Extracts from The Food Bridge vzw event abstract 2016:
Many in the African diaspora communities across the globe are still actively
engaged with their home countries through economic, cultural, social,
political and even religious links.
For many and their descendants, it is not just enough to be successful in
foreign lands, they also want to make positive contributions to their home
land and those left behind.
For the African diasporas, eating ‘home’ food is an important part of their
daily lives in different parts of the world. There are many ‘African shops’
stocked with food grown in the continent in different cities in the developed
countries.
Thus insuring that there is a sustainable agriculture, producing safe food in
Africa is also of importance to many in the diaspora, as well as a continuous
flow of ‘home’ food from africa to the different African diaspora communities.

5. PAEPARD supported in 2011 the creation of the European chapter of the
Association of African Agricultural Professionals in the Diaspora, or AAAPD-E.
In 2011 FEBIO was created: Forum for Ethiopian Biotechnologists in order to
link all Ethiopian Biotechnologists at home and abroad.
In 2012 PAEPARD sent a questionnaire to 9 diaspora associations in 4
European countries: France, UK, Italy, Belgium. Only one association replied
(Sunugal Association: Senegal/Italy). One of the questions was:
Which could be the impact of a partnership research program involving
Diaspora members and researchers in the Country of origin?
As such the questionnaire did not address research needs from the diaspora
related to processing food from their countries of origin for import to Europe.

6. Translate the needs into
research questions and
identify funding
opportunities
1000noyaux, partner of ColeACP presses oil from mango
kernels which would otherwise be wasted in the
RUNGIS/Paris fruits and veg market.
Research focus:
Innovative use of mango
waste in cosmetics

7. The food economy is the biggest employer in West Africa
accounting for 66% of total employment.
While the majority of food economy jobs are in
agriculture, off-farm employment in food-related
manufacturing and service activities is increasing as the
food economy adapts to rapid population growth,
urbanisation and rising incomes.
Rural-urban linkages and rural employment
diversification, which are related to the agricultural
transformations that are reshaping this sector across
four broad segments of activities: agriculture,
processing, marketing and food-away-from home.
Agriculture, Food and Jobs in
West Africa
OECD, April 2018. 32 pages

8. Pierre Thiam is Co-founder of Yolele
Foods, (based in New York)
Thiam grew up in its capital, Dakar,
surrounded by bright, flavorful ingredients
and passionate home cooks.
His debut cookbook celebrates the art of
creating family meals using organic, local
produce and farm-fresh meats and
seafood.
An accessible and delicious introduction
to the next big thing: African cuisine.
“Fonio is a gluten-free ancient African
supergrain with 3 times the protein, fiber
and iron of rice. Senegal is a multicultural
country with culinary influences from all
over the world” (28/03/2018, Kigali, Pierre
Thiam)

9. New policy considerations are emerging for designing
targeted employment strategies that leverage the links
between agricultural productivity, off-farm employment
and rural-urban areas and that ensure inclusiveness,
particularly for youth and women.
“Job creation has not kept pace with the rapid rise in the
workforce—leading to economic stagnation and
disillusionment, increased pressure for migration, and
social unrest.”
“A transformed agricultural sector will increase
economic opportunities for young people and help
ameliorate the global migration crisis.”
There is a need for another more positive narrative on
migration: The potential of the Diaspora in the
development of the African agribusiness
Youth for Growth: Transforming
Economies through Agriculture,
Chicago Council on Global
Affairs, March 2018, 154 pages

10. Using the Nigerian migrants in Belgium as a case study in
her research, Dr Maureen Duru presented a convincing
argument about the importance of food to the
identification modes of African diasporas.
The book gives a historical account of food in Nigeria and
in the diaspora by tracing the evolution of Nigerians
migration to Belgium, the changes African migrants have
brought to the country and also their experience in
Belgium.
BigPicNic consortium: Bringing together the public,
scientists, policy-makers and industry to help address
the global challenge of food security (23-25 November
2017. Brussels. Meise Botanical Gardens)
Diaspora , Food and Identity by
Dr Maureen Duru.