Planting Seeds for the Future:
Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security
Thursday, March 23, 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM PST
Session Description
In 2015, all 54 African countries signed the Paris Agreement to mark their commitment to global climate change actions and have been actively strategizing a path forward, including through the Agenda 2063 vision. Climate change is a leading priority for Africa, with impacts on agriculture and food security across the continent. Other factors, including the worsening food security crisis sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic and catalyzed by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, continue to pose challenges for families and communities as they endure shortages and a lack of affordable food access.
- How are African nations unifying their efforts against climate change?
- What policies, finance mechanisms, and innovations are being implemented to strengthen agriculture, food systems, and trade flows?
- How are governments, NGOs, corporations, multilateral agencies, and entrepreneurs driving innovative approaches to preserving the most vulnerable regions and feeding communities in Africa?
This session investigates the ongoing climate change resilience efforts across the continent and what seeds can be planted to ensure sustainable agriculture and a food-secure future.
Moderator
Darius F. Teter
Executive Director, Stanford Seed
Darius Teter, executive director, is leading Seed’s growth and expansion, building upon the success achieved since its inception in 2011. Before joining Stanford Seed, Teter served as vice president of global programs at Oxfam America, where he oversaw regional development and human rights programs in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, humanitarian response to natural disasters and conflict, and managed the research, learning, and evaluation teams. His experience spans the field and geography of international development, from financing infrastructure megaprojects to advising governments on economic policies. Prior to Oxfam, he held leadership positions with the Asian Development Bank, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, an independent U.S. government foreign aid agency.
Panelists
Abiola Afolayan
Co-Director of Bread for the World’s Policy and Research Institute
Abiola Afolayan is Co-Director of Bread for the World’s Policy and Research Institute. She advances global food security by utilizing her background in international development, policy, law, academia, and women’s empowerment. She is an adjunct Professor of Gender, Conflict, and Security at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, in Washington D.C, and has lectured at Temple University School of Law, International Law Program in Rome, Italy. As a thought leader, she has been invited to keynote on the theme “Integrating Gender, Youth, and Social Inclusion in Dryland Agri-Food Systems” at the international conference on “Innovations to Transform Drylands” held at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics.
Ermias Kebreab
Associate Dean and Professor of Animal Science, University of California, Davis
Ermias Kebreab is Associate Dean and Professor of Animal Science at the University of California, Davis. He holds the Sesnon Endowed Chair in Sustainable Agriculture. He conducts research in animal nutrition, mathematical modeling of biological systems and impact of livestock on the environment. He is contributing author to the 2019 IPCC update on enteric methane emissions. Ermias co-chaired the feed additive and methane committees of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN. He has authored over 250 peer-reviewed articles and received several awards, including Excellence in Ruminant Nutrition and International Agriculture from the American Society of Animal Science and the 2022 Chancellor’s Innovator of the year award.
Caleb Edwards,
Co-Founder and CEO, Wami Agro Limited
Caleb Edwards is a self-motivated and success-driven business development manager with 12+ years of experience in solution-selling and new business development across financial services, logistics, fintech, and construction industries. He is a founding member of Wami Agro Limited, an AgTech company with a mission to deliver tech-enabled solutions to secure sustainable sourcing, improve farmer quality of life, and protect the environment. He is a focused senior management executive with exceptional planning and implementation capabilities.