Mr. Nicolas Trentesaux, Managing Director and CEO of the SIAL Network, declared that the future will look vastly different in terms of food demand and innovation.
In his opening remarks at the African Food Summit at SIAL Paris 2024, Trentesaux noted that by 2050, Africa’s population is expected to reach 2.5 billion, accounting for more than 25% of the world’s population.
He added that such growth demands urgent innovation in food production to meet the needs of a rapidly expanding continent.
The summit provided a platform for discussions on emerging trends in gastronomy and product design to address Africa’s unique challenges and opportunities.
Mr. Krishanu Chakravarty, Chief of Party for Prosper Cashew, highlighted the enormous potential and major challenges facing cashew processing in West Africa, particularly in countries like Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Ghana.
Speaking on Prosper Cashew, he explained it is a seven-and-a-half-year project funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) under the Food for Progress (FFPr) program.
“The project, which began in October 2020, acts as a catalyst for the sector by strengthening cashew processing plants, facilitating access to much-needed working capital, and demonstrating the business case for additional investment flows. It also supports the marketing of West African cashew kernels by connecting local processors with international buyers,” he said.
Meanwhile, discussions on the agri-food sector emphasized Africa’s need to generate 30,000 jobs per million people annually to sustain demographic growth. Innovative solutions, such as bringing processing facilities directly to harvest sites, were highlighted as a key step toward reducing post-harvest losses and meeting rural needs.
Specifically, Mr. Abdeljabbar Bouroua, Central Director of Financing the Green Transition at Crédit Agricole du Maroc, announced a 5% interest rate on loans for agricultural projects in Morocco, a move aimed at boosting investment in the sector.
Ms. Albane Coulange, Quality Manager at RACINES, highlighted the company’s mission to connect African culinary culture with its diaspora and introduce European markets to authentic African products. Operating in Senegal, Benin, and Madagascar, RACINES is committed to quality and authenticity, enhancing the value chain of African food exports.
Further discussions explored whether Africa’s food heritage risks being lost to global standardization. Experts like Ms. Fatima Fall Niang and Michelin-starred chef Georgiana Viou examined how African cuisine adapts to modern tastes while preserving its essence.
They noted that the diversity within African food traditions offers resilience against uniformity, with African cuisine continually reinventing itself by blending local and external influences.
The summit closed with an optimistic vision, focusing on Africa’s new generation of food entrepreneurs who embody a forward-thinking “Afropolitanism.” These entrepreneurs are globally connected, value local products, and prioritize sustainability, showcasing Africa’s potential to shape the future of food on a global scale.
The African Food Summit at SIAL Paris 2024 not only outlined the challenges but also spotlighted the resilience and innovation within the African food sector, suggesting that Africa will not only meet its own food needs but contribute to the world’s food future.