Scaling Up Food Processing in Africa - The Role of Young Scientists

SRD date:

Friday, May 30, 2025 - 14:00 to 16:00

Western African Time

SRD registration link:

Registration link on ZOOM platform

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Scaling Up Food Processing in Africa - The Role of Young Scientists

AAU/IUFoST Roundtable

Africa’s food processing landscape requires creative and practical solutions that integrate smallholder farmers, informal markets, and formal supply chains. The ‘One Mile’ approach — focusing on the immediate community and local market integration — is critical to achieving scalable, sustainable food processing solutions that begin at the grassroots level.

Programme:

Keynote Address highlighting opportunities for young scientists in Africa's food processing sector.
Roundtable discussion with young leaders around innovation, research aimed at transforming food processing in Africa.
Young Scientist Pitch Competition. Finalists in the competition deliver their pitches.
Jury Deliberation, Announcement of Winners and Closing.

Opening & Keynote address:

Samuel Godefroy

Professor Samuel Godefroy, President of IUFoST, is the former Director General of Health Canada's Food Directorate, Canada's Food Standard Setting body and a former Vice Chair of the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission. Professor Godefroy assumed senior food regulatory positions at the executive level with Health Canada for over 15 years. Prof. Godefroy is the founder of the Global Food Regulatory Science Society, (GFoRSS) a non-for- profit organization, aiming to promote food regulatory science disciplines at the international level. Samuel is Full Professor of Food Risk Analysis and Regulatory Policies in the Department of Food Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada and is leading the development of a Food Risk Analysis and Regulatory Excellence Platform (PARERA), hosted by the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (INAF) of Université Laval. Prof. Godefroy serves as a senior food science and regulatory expert on a number of advisory bodies and committees domestically and internationally, including on the International Advisory Committee of the China Centre for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA). Prof. Godefroy also serves as a strategic and operational advisor to international food safety capacity building initiatives focused on regulatory enhancement, implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). He is a Fellow of IAFoST and co-chair of the IUFoST Codex Committee.

Olusola Oyewole

Professor Olusola Oyewole is the Secretary-General of the Association of African Universities (AAU) and a seasoned academic in food microbiology and biotechnology. With over 36 years of experience in African higher education, he is a key figure in regional research collaboration, policy, and quality assurance.

Felicia Nkrumah Kuagbedzi

Dr. Felicia Nkrumah Kuagbedzi, a Ghanaian, is the Senior Communications and Publications Officer at the Association of African Universities (AAU), where she leads internal and external communications and oversees the implementation of the Association’s communication strategies.

Vish Prakash

Prof. Vish Prakash is the former President of IAFoST and a renowned food scientist from India. He has led major international initiatives in food and nutrition security and served in leadership roles across IUFoST, IUNS, and scientific organizations worldwide.

Sebastiano Porretta

Prof. Sebastiano Porretta was Chair of the IUFoST 22nd World Congress held in Italy September 2024 and is President of the Italian Association of Food Technology (AITA). He is a leader in food consumer science and product innovation, focusing on sustainable development and waste reduction.

Obadina Adewale

Prof. Adewale Olusegun Obadina is Project Officer at the Association of African Universities and Professor of Food Safety and Biotechnology at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. He serves on expert panels for the African Union and WHO and has held leadership roles in IUFoST and ACAFP.

Bolanle Akinwande

Prof. Bolanle Akinwande of LAUTECH, Nigeria, is a leader in food science education and internal quality assurance. She pioneered her university’s QA framework and plays a key role in strengthening higher education standards in West Africa through international training and networks.

Young Scientists:

Nafissafou Diop Ndiaye

Dr Nafissafou Diop Ndiaye is the inventor of the ‘Licka'S’ ditax pulper-refiner, a patented machine that automates the simultaneous hulling, extraction and refining of ditax (Detarium senegalense), a forest fruit extremely rich in vitamin C. It replaces the long and arduous manual process, providing quality pulp for the food industry and facilitating large-scale production. This innovation was awarded the gold medal with congratulations from the jury at the 50th International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva in April 2025. Researcher at the Institute of Food Technology in Dakar, she is committed to the industrial development of local fruit resources and women's entrepreneurship through research, innovation, training and technology transfer.

John Lubaale

Dr John Lubaale is a Lecturer at University College Birmingham, UK, researching sustainable food innovation, with a focus on plant-based meat analogues. His research employs advanced analytical methodologies to assess their viability as sustainable and nutritious alternatives to traditional meat. He also investigates “smart foods” aimed at addressing malnutrition and diet-related health issues through novel processing techniques. Combining academic expertise with industry experience in quality control and product development, John bridges scientific research with practical applications. He has supported food companies as a consultant on solutions for nutrition, processing technologies and R&D. Committed to nurturing future professionals, he mentors students and contributes to leadership development programmes. John aims to engage in global dialogues on sustainable food systems, prioritising collaboration and actionable innovation.

Princess Anita Asabere

Princess Anita aspires to continue driving greater impact and sustainability in Farmerline's initiatives. She aims to lead innovative projects that empower smallholder farmers while expanding the company's reach into underserved regions. Beyond Farmerline, she is passionate about contributing to broader conversations around financial inclusion, agricultural development, and technology innovation, aspiring to be a catalyst for positive change on a global scale. Princess Anita Asabere obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Integrated Community Development from the University for Development Studies, completed between 2008 and 2012. Princess Anita also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in Business Administration and Management, General from the University of Suffolk, UK. In addition, she have obtained certification in Introduction to ESG from the Corporate Finance Institute in 2022.

James Owusu-Kwarteng

Dr James Owusu-Kwarteng is an Associate Professor of Food Science and Technology at the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Ghana, with over fifteen years of experience in teaching, research and community engagement. James has interest in traditional West African foods with emphasis on upgrading processing technologies, food fermentation, dehydration technologies, and food safety. He has engaged several micro- small and medium scale food processors and women cooperatives in Ghana and Burkina Faso to upgrade traditional food processing methods. Recently, James served as a Fulbright African Research Scholar at the New Mexico State University, where he focused on rapid detection and control of Salmonella in chili pepper, and had engagements with several small and medium scale chili-processing facilities.

Link to Q&A's:

Link to Q&A's