Welcome to the 4^th All Africa Postharvest Congress and Exhibition

We are happy to announce the 4^th All Africa Postharvest Congress and Exhibition (4^th AAPHCE). Save-the-Date for this important Pan-African event that is scheduled for 19^th to 22^nd September 2023. The 4^th AAPHCE will be an in-person (physical) congress hosted by the African Union Commission (AUC) at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The congress is being organized by the AUC in collaboration with various partners, including development partners, private sector actors, academic/research institutions, and civil society.

The Congress theme is Sustainable Postharvest Management: Boosting Intra-African Agricultural Trade and Enhancing Food and Nutrition Security. The theme takes cognizance of the critical role of postharvest management in the efforts to boost intra-African trade in food and agricultural commodities as envisioned under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). That food loss and waste (FLW) reduction is key to addressing food and nutrition security in sustainable food systems cannot be gain-said.  And therefore, at the 4^th AAPHCE we will continue to reiterate the importance of FLW reduction in the efforts to achieve food and nutrition security in sustainable food systems.

With just three years left to the Malabo 2014 target of halving postharvest losses by 2025, we must re-energize FLW reduction efforts and initiatives as we sprint to the finish line. All the actors in the agri-food sector including governments, the private sector, development agencies, civil society, research & academia and consumers, basically all of us, have a role to play in FLW reduction.

Drawing on the successes of the previous biennial events in 2017, 2019 and 2021, the 4^th AAPHCE presents yet another important platform to raise awareness about FLW while highlighting sustainable solutions in the African context. The AAPHCE is also a platform to network and establish partnerships for research, outreach and investment initiatives towards FLW reduction.

Welcome one, welcome all and spread the word about the 4^th All Africa Postharvest Congress and Exhibition!

Prof. Jane Ambuko

Chair, Technical Committee of the 4^th AAPHCE