Macfrut 2019 looks to the development of sub-Saharan Africa

The international training program "Lab Innova - Sub-Saharan Africa", promoted by Agence ICE, in collaboration with Macfrut, AICS Agency and other territorial partners were presenting during the "Macfrut 2019: Africa under the spotlight" meeting.

During the meeting, the African Development Bank identified the agri-food sector as one of the strategic assets for the growth of the continent. Africa's growth forecast is + 5% of GDP per year, while in 2030, Africa's GDP will reach 5% of global GDP. The fruit and vegetable sector plays an important role in Africa's economic growth.

"Italy, a major producer of the Fruit & Vegetables sector and a leader in technology and packaging, can play an important role in the business development of African companies operating in these sectors," said Renzo Piraccini, President of Macfrut. "The hub of this path will be Macfrut 2019, the only trade show in the industry that will dedicate an entire pavilion to sub-Saharan Africa, partner of the 36th edition," he concludes.

The Lab Innova project aims to contribute to the development of the partnership between EU-African companies, by focusing on management training, innovation and technology transfer in the African agricultural and agro-industrial sector. Between February and October 2019, the program will involve five African countries - Ethiopia, Mozambique, Uganda, Tanzania and Angola - offering personalized support to more than 60 African companies in the agri-food chain (mainly fruits and vegetables, coffee, cereals, spices, legumes, etc.), aimed at improving their technical and management skills. The aim is both to spread among African companies a greater culture of internationalization, so as to better cope with the European market, and to adapt their production capacity to international standards.