Envisaged as an opportunity for collaboration between various African industrial actors, the 1st Edition of Africa’s Industrialization Trade Fair (L4africa-B2B) took place in Yaounde from  18th- 22nd of November. The objective of the tradeshow, which was scheduled to include Techno poles in Agribusiness, Commerce, Tourism and Finance, was to create a space for professional exchanges between entrepreneurs, producers, professionals from the private, public and rural sectors, equipment manufacturers, industrial machinery manufacturers and various actors within the processing sector.

A host of presentations and debates, consisting of experts in Agriculture and Agribusiness, took place with conversations surrounding barriers and resolutions in regards to industrialization in Africa. Several key note speeches highlighted the importance of value addition in agriculture with presenters acknowledging the pivotal role industrialization in agriculture has played in the development of western economies now considered modern day power houses. As such, African nations were encouraged to follow suit.

Above: Opening of Session and Panel Debates on Agribusiness in Africa

Women, youth and the diaspora were listed as the potential trifecta to lift Africa from its current situation, with recommendations made to embrace these often overlooked groups.  Particular emphasis was placed on women, in which members of various panels agreed, possessed the power to transform African economies with limited resources, resilience and the sheer will to survive. The latter sentiment had been demonstrated by the tradeshow’s theme ‘Women and Industrialization for Inclusive and Sustainable Development in Africa.’

Above Clockwise: Transformed Agro Products on Display, Participants in Transformation Industries Display Services, AIVDP Team Sensitizing Visitors on AIVDP Role in Rural Development through Industrialization

In line with promoting industrialisation, members of AIVDP’s management team participated at the fair, sensitizing visitors on its contributions to industrialisation through the development of key crops such as cocoa, cassava, oil palm and rice. The Project which will also play its part in poverty reduction and job creation for rural communities particularly for women and youth, is constructing 02 semi-industrial cocoa processing units and 02 semi-industrial palm oil processing units. Cognizant that a significant population of women in Cameroon participate in cassava production, the Project is promoting value chain activities through the construction/installation of 20 cassava processing units in addition to 50 motorized palm oil units in the six (6) Divisions. Additionally, 02 temperature potato warehouses in Nkongle Basin (Lebialem Division) are to be constructed as well as an irrigation network in 200 ha of arable land to facilitate growth of irish potato in Nkongle (Lebialem Division).