The Food Bridge's Helping Hand Project received an award from the Ghanaian students union Belgium on the 27th of November 2021. According to Mr Erasmus, the student union's outgoing president , the award is in appreciation of the weekly food donations given to African students in Belgium during the covid pandemic lockdown.
In her speech the Ghanaian ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU, Her Excellency Mrs Siaw-Boateng, commended the Food Bridge for their work and encouraged them to continue with the good work they are doing supporting the students and community. She also emphasised the embassy's support for Ghanaian students, informing them of available services and encouraged them to adhere to the covid protocols.
In her acceptance speech, Dr Maureen Duru of the Food Bridge vzw, thanked the students for the pleasant surprise. She mentioned that the Helping Hand's campaign which benefitted the students was with the support of dedicated partners, donors and volunteers. She acknowledged the special role of King Baudouin Foundation and Sankaa vzw, in making the campaign a success.
Dr Duru further informed the students that those of them without food during the festive period, can always send a request to the Food Santa campaign, which starts on the 15th of December 2021.
Over the past year, the Food Bridge vzw and its partners have been organizing training and seminars for Nigerian farmers. Despite the rising cost of food in the country, the income of majority of the farmers remains the same. Thus we have started a new intitiative that will link farmers directly to consumers. Our aim is to offer farmers trained in our programs an opportunity to sell directly to consumers; many of who are looking for safe and affordable food.
For more details contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The next session of our Agrofood Entrepreneurship Training in Nigeria will focus on exporting food products from Nigeria. This session scheduled for the 3rd of June 2021 at 5pm Nigerian time is with Mr Arnold Jackson, Deputy Director/ Regional Coordinator South - East, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC). The aim of this session is to provide relevant information to Nigerian entrepreneurs especially farmers interested in accessing regional and international markets.
Registration is now open for the 2021 European organic congress. The theme for this year is “Organic’s contribution to the European Green Deal”. it focuses on how the agri-food sector’s initiatives enhance the transition towards a more sustainable food system, through the aid of leading examples from representatives and experts amidst the organic sector. The New EU Organic Regulation 848/2018 will also be explored, while focusing on its implications for the objective of 25% EU organic land by 2030. For more details and registration use this link - https://europeanorganiccongress.bio/
Redistration is open now for the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) Intergovernmental Food Systems Dialogue co-convened by the FAO. The dialogues theme is "Building Resilient, Inclusive and Secure Food Systems for Members of the OACPS" and will be held on the 6th of July 2021 at 20:00-22:30 (CET).
For more information and registration - http://newsletters.fao.org/q/13W8013Z0rKQWdAwfnPXo/wv
The United Nations Food Systems Summit is running a “Best Small Business: Good Food for All” competition. The aim of the competition is to showcase inspiring small and medium agri-food companies that are making a positive impact in their community, country and the world. Every applicant will be invited to virtual Summit events. Small businesses around the world that help provide healthy food that is good for the environment, good for their communities and create jobs for people locally are invited to apply and share ideas and suggestions for how their countries and economies can maximize their positive impact.
Any business can apply if it has between five and 250 employees and plays a role in any aspect of food value and supply chain. Each submission will help inform global leaders with the priorities and resources these businesses need to thrive. The Summit will spotlight winners as the “Best 50 Small Businesses: Good Food for All”, as well as a share of US$100,000 in prize money..
Each submission will also help inform global leaders what businesses like yours need to help them thrive. Even if you don’t want to apply to the competition, you can raise your voice by completing just Step 1 of the application. The competition will run from April 29 to June 4, 2021. For more details - https://www.un.org/en/food-systems-summit/best-small-business-comp
As part of the ongoing Agrofood Entrepreneurship Training, in collaboration with PROSI Group Austria we will be organizing a session focusing on African farmers access to the African Diaspora Agrofood market. The aim of this session is to have an importer of African food explain to the farmers their criteria for selecting food products and suppliers.
The guest speakers are Sijimon&Greshma Pallikunnel, Directors at PROSI Austria. They will also share their experience as sellers of African food in Europe including the challenges.
The Zoom link for the session is
Meeting ID: 825 7064 6235
Passcode: 709287
The 7th edition of the African Summit on Entrepreneurship and Innovation will be held November 5-6th 2021. The theme of this virtual edition is "Exploring Innovative opportunities across Africa's entrepreneurial ecosystem".
The summit brings together top leaders of industries and expert to share knowledge on business and Innovation with a major focus on; Fintech, Agribusiness, Health Innovation, Sustainable Energy, Big Data, Smart cities, Financing, SDGs , Trade and Policies. For more details and registration use this link - https://www.asenti.org/
The Joint Call Board from the ERA-NETs SUSFOOD2 (SUStainable FOOD production and consumption) and FOSC (Food Systems and Climate) are pleased to announce the launch of the Joint Call for Proposals on Innovative solutions for resilient, climate-smart and sustainable food systems.
This call for proposals is to fund projects that facilitate the transition from current linear food systems to resilient circular systems, including an optimal use of resources and less vulnerability to shocks under consideration of the interdependencies within the systems and its stakeholders.
It will support projects taking a systems approach considering all relevant aspects in food systems and their potential to increase its sustainability (Topic 1) and resilience (Topic 2).
Proposals should include research on one of the following topics:
- Topic I: Innovations to improve food systems sustainability, with a focus on increasing resource efficiency and reducing waste
- Topic II: Food Systems adaptation and resilience to system shocks
The Joint Call 2021 follows a one-stage procedure with a deadline for the submission of proposals on 16th of August 2021 - 3 p.m. (CEST). A webinar for interested applicants will be organized on June 2, 2021 at 1:20 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. (CEST).
For more details visit the websites of SUSFOOD (https://susfood-db-era.net) or FOSC (https://www.foscera.net).
The 4th Innovations Session organised by the Pan-African Farmers’ Organization (PAFO) and the COLEACP will be on the 20th of May 2021 from 12 to 2pm. This virtual session will focus on the on Sustainable food systems: the key role of SMEs and businesses .
The key points for discussion on sustainable food systems will be -
How African MSMEs and farmers organisations can transition towards sustainable practices and what support do they need based on the obstacles they face?
What incentives can be provided to smallholders and MSMEs to adopt sustainable practices?
What main investments and incentives from the public and private sector can accelerate the transition towards sustainable practices?
How to reconcile investments by the MSMEs and farmers in sustainable food systems with the imperative of economic returns and access to new markets?