Re-developing African Traditional Foods for Industrial Production and International Markets: Unlocking Global Markets through Innovation, Standards, and Strategic Partnerships

SRD date: 
Thursday, August 6, 2026 - 14:00 to 16:00
14:00 – 16:00 GMT
SRD registration link: 
Registration link on ZOOM platform
SRD poster image: 

Join AAU and IUFoST for an engaging Scientific Roundtable Discussion (SRD) exploring how African traditional foods can be transformed for industrial production and positioned for success in global markets.

Bringing together experts from academia, industry, regulatory bodies and international organisations, the session will explore innovation, value addition, food safety, standards, certification and strategic partnerships — all essential to turning indigenous foods into globally competitive products.

Be part of the conversation and help shape the next steps towards stronger African food innovation and greater international market access ahead of the:

CHARLES AWORH

Professor, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Charles Aworh is Emeritus Professor, and founding George S. Coumantaros Distinguished Professor (2018-2021), Department of Food Technology, University of Ibadan; Past President (2022-2024), International Academy of Food Science and Technology (IAFoST); Fellow, African Academy of Sciences; and former Chairman (2019-2023), Technical Advisory Group of Nigeria's Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). He is a recipient of the inaugural (2024) World Food Prize Foundation Top Agri-Food Pioneer Award recognized for "significantly contributing to food security and rural development in Sub-Saharan Africa, making a lasting impact on the field of food science and the broader African agricultural landscape." A foremost researcher, prolific author and mentor of young food professionals, he has published extensively, supervised over 120 MSc and 17 PhDs, and is mentor for African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) and IUFoST College of Early Career Scientists, among others.

Presentation Title:
The Future of African Traditional Foods in Global Food Systems

OLUBUKOLA ESTHER ADEKUNLE

Psaltry International, Nigeria

Mrs. Olubukola Esther Adekunle is an Agricultural Extension and Rural Development expert with over a decade of experience in agribusiness development, project management, and inclusive agricultural value chain development. She serves as Project Coordinator at Psaltry International Company Limited, leading the implementation of youth- and women-focused agricultural empowerment programmes in partnership with local and international development organizations. She holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Agricultural Extension and Rural Development from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), and is currently completing her PhD in the same discipline. Her work focuses on smallholder farmer empowerment, sustainable agricultural development, food security, climate resilience, and inclusive agribusiness. She has represented Psaltry International at national and international forums, sharing insights on youth engagement, women's empowerment, and sustainable food systems.

Presentation Title:
Global Market Opportunities for African Foods

JOHN MUYONGA

Professor, Makerere University Uganda

Professor John H. Muyonga is Professor of Food Science at Makerere University, Uganda. He holds a PhD in Food Science from the University of Pretoria, an M.Sc. in Food Science from Cornell University, and a B.Sc. in Food Science and Technology from Makerere University. His research focuses on nutraceuticals, physicochemical properties of foods, extrusion technology, novel drying techniques, and agri-food waste valorisation. He has authored over 80 peer-reviewed publications and has played a key role in developing research capacity on previously under-researched foods. Prof. Muyonga is passionate about translating research into practical applications, supporting the commercialization of food technologies and community-based nutrition initiatives. He is a Fellow of the Uganda National Academy of Sciences and a member of the Institute of Food Technologists.

Presentation Title:
Innovation, Product Development and Value Addition

LUGILE PRUDENCE ZONDI

University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Dr. Lungile Prudence Zondi is a Senior Lecturer in Anthropology in the School of Social Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Her academic and research interests include indigenous knowledge systems, food in Africa. She is actively engaged in teaching, postgraduate supervision, research, and community engagement, with a strong commitment to African-centred scholarship. Dr. Zondi has extensive experience in research coordination, programme management, and monitoring and evaluation, and has worked with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to coordinate research and advocacy initiatives. Through her academic and collaborative work, she has contributed to strengthening research capacity, fostering stakeholder engagement, and promoting the integration of indigenous knowledge into sustainable development initiatives across Africa.

OLUGBENGA AINA

National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigeria

Aina Olugbenga Stephen, Director at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and former President of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST).

JOSHUA OYEBODE

Nourrit Technol System Limited, Nigeria

GABOR MOLNAR

UNIDO, Austria

Dr. Gabor Molnar is a development specialist, data enthusiast, and strategist with a background in sustainability, agro-industry, agribusiness development, and trade, particularly in sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) and technical barriers to trade (TBT). His research interests include applying digitalisation and data-driven solutions in the private sector, particularly for traceability, and in the public sector for performance monitoring and sustainability reporting.

OLUSOLA BANDELE OYEWOLE

Secretary General, AAU

Professor Olusola Bandele Oyewole is Secretary-General of the Association of African Universities (AAU), Accra, Ghana. He is a Professor of Food Science and Technology, specialising in Food Microbiology, Biotechnology, and food safety, and served as Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria, from 2012 to 2017. He previously served as Senior Expert for Quality Assurance, Mobility, and Scholarships at the African Union Commission in Ethiopia and as Project Coordinator for Quality Assurance at AAU. His expertise includes higher education, internationalisation, food microbiology, biotechnology, food safety, and institutional management. Prof. Oyewole is committed to transformational leadership, innovation, and advancing higher education across Africa.

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