The Conference Programme - Financing Agri-food Systems Sustainably Conference (FINAS 2025)

12/03/2024

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Pre-conference dialogue 1: Making a case for one focal point for Agricultural Finance

Hosted by AGRA and FSD-K; Movenpick Hotel & Residences Within the Agricultural Finance environment, there is need for an Agricultural Finance Coordination Unit in Kenya guided by a market shaping…

14/03/2024

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Pre-conference Dialogues

Pre-conference Dialogue 2: Structuring Agricultural financing at County Level

Hosted by the CEC Caucus, Voi Safari Lodge, co-located with the quarterly CEC caucus meeting Devolution has shown the light on the challenge of agricultural finance wrought by the instruments…

20/03/2024

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Pre-conference Dialogues

Pre-conference dialogue 3: Combining short term response and long-term vision: Thinking fertilizer subsidies anew.

Hosted by GIZ and IPFRI; Movenpick Hotel and Residences The conversation will interrogate the impact of subsidy programs and their role in the agricultural sector including potential impact on the…

27/03/2024

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Pre-conference Dialogues

Johnson Mwakazi

Main conference dialogue

Master of Ceremony: Johnson Mwakazi, Media Communication Consultant

7:00 am

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8:00 am

Registration and Preliminaries

8:00 am

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8:15 am

Dr. Kawira Charity Mutegi

Welcome to the FINAS 2024

It’s about time! Dr. Kawira Charity Mutegi, Conference Director

8:15 am

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8:30 am

Government’s Priorities for Agricultural Progression

Jonathan Kazungu

Hear me out upstream

Hear me out upstream – Jonathan Kazungu, Mibibo Cashew Farmer Co-operative, Kilifi County

8:30 am

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9:00 am

Government’s Priorities for Agricultural Progression

Dr. Paul Kiprono Ronoh

Keynote Remarks: Government’s Priorities: Funding agriculture in the bottom up Economic Transformation Agenda

Agricultural investment, funding priorities and support areas required. Dr. Paul Kiprono Ronoh, PS State Department for Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.

9:00 am

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10:00 am

Government’s Priorities for Agricultural Progression

Stephen Muchiri

High- level Panel session: Unpacking the Government Agenda: How does the government plan to action on its priorities in terms of financing and delivery?

Moderator: Stephen Muchiri, CEO, Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF) Panelists: Dr. Paul Kiprono Ronoh, PS State Department for Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Jonathan Mueke, PS State Department…

10:00 am

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10:30 am

Government’s Priorities for Agricultural Progression

Hon. Musalia Mudavadi

Official launch of FINAS 2024

Remarks by Senator James Kamau Murango, Chairman, Senate Agriculture Committee Remarks by Hon. Mithika Linturi, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Official Launch Hon. Musalia Mudavadi,Prime Cabinet Secretary…

10:30 am

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11:00 am

Tea Break/ Media Briefing/ Exhibition Interaction

11:00 am

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11:30 am

Financing Transformation and Governmental Incentives and Frameworks

Dr Kiringai Kamau

Keynote: Promoting sustainable agricultural finance through the Ward, One Cooperative (OWOC)’s Social Impact Investment Fund

Dr Kiringai Kamau, CECM Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Blue Economy, Murang’a County

11:30 am

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12:15 pm

Financing Transformation and Governmental Incentives and Frameworks

Ms. Sheila Keino

Interactive session 1: Combining short-term response and long term vision: Thinking fertilizer subsidies anew.

Reporting outcomes from pre-conference dialogue. Co-host: MoALD, GIZ and IFPRI/CGIAR Moderator Ms. Sheila Keino, Vice President: Development Cooperation, African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP) and Regional Manager for Sustain Africa…

12:15 am

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1:00 pm

Financing Transformation and Governmental Incentives and Frameworks

James Kashangaki

Interactive session 2: Establishment of one focal point for agricultural financing Reporting outcomes from pre-conference dialogue.

Reporting outcomes from pre-conference dialogue. Co-host: AGRA/FSD Kenya Key remarks: Hedwig Siewertsen, Head of Inclusive Finance, AGRA Moderator: James Kashangaki, Chief Programme Officer – FSD Kenya Panelists Moses Banda, Inclusive…

1:00 pm

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2:00 pm

Lunch Break and Exhibition Interaction

2:00 pm

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3:00 pm

De-risking Investment in Agriculture

Dr Rupsha Banerjee

De-risking Investment in Agriculture

Key remarks: Demystifying de-risking of agriculture. Wohoro Ndohho, CEO, SNDBX Capital Key remarks: Sealing the leaking pipeline to improve quality of expenditure on agriculture in Kenya John Kamau, Associate…

3:00 pm

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4:00 pm

Panel sessions

Dr Nungari Mwangi

Panel discussion: Status of agriculture insurance and avenues for scaling up the uptake of agriculture insurance solutions

Key remarks: Dr Hassan Bashir, Senior Consultant – Climate Insurance, African Development Bank (AfDB) Moderator Dr Nungari Mwangi, Consultant, Strategy and Partnerships, Agri-SME Innovative Financing and Development, Agriculture Finance and…

4:00 pm

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5:00 pm

Panel sessions

Daniel Munyambu

Panel discussion: Funding instruments to support climate adaptation & mitigation in the agricultural sector –Making it work

Moderator Daniel Munyambu, Country Agribusiness Specialist, ABSA Bank Kenya PLC Key remarks: Martha Ouma, Mastercard Foundation Fund for Resilience and Prosperity (FRP) & Kennedy Mugambi, Tax advisor, KPMG Panelists: Kennedy…

5:00 pm

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Tea and Networking

8:30 am

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9:00 am

Technologies, Digitalization & Research

Ali Hussein

Three minute video

Keynote: Pillars of success towards a vibrant digital financing ecosystem Ali Hussein, Chair, Association of Fintechs in Kenya

8:30 am

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9:30 am

Technologies, Digitalization & Research

Ali Hussein

Panel session: Scaling financial access through digitalization of the agriculture value chain

Moderator: Ali Hussein, Chair, Association of Fintechs in Kenya Panelists: Dr. Kiplimo Arap Lagat, CECM Department of Agriculture and Cooperative Development, Nandi County Munyi Nthiga, Secretary General, Association of Fintechs…

9:30 am

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10:00 am

Technologies, Digitalization & Research

Prof. Jean Jacques Muhinda

Keynote: Building a sustainable model for agricultural research funding in Kenya

Prof. Jean Jacques Muhinda, Regional Manager, East and Southern Africa, AGRA

10:00 am

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10:30 am

Tea Break and Networking

10:30 am

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11:30 am

Technologies, Digitalization & Research

Dr Kelvin Shikuku

Panel discussion: Positioning Research to better Support Decision-making on Sustainable Investments and Financing of the agricultural sector.

Moderator: Dr Kelvin Shikuku-Economist, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Panelists: Dr Canisius K. Kanangire, Executive Director, African Agricultural Technology Foundation(AATF) Hamisi Williams, Assistant FAO Representative in charge of Programmes Maarten…

11:30 am

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12:00 pm

Technologies, Digitalization & Research

Maarten Susan

Keynote : Lessons learned in agricultural finance – Five crucial insights

Maarten Susan, Financing Agriculture Digital Platform

12:00 pm

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12:05 pm

Private sector role in sustainably financing agriculture-addressing the missing middle

Hear me out: SME-Fish processor/MESPT

12:05 am

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12:30 pm

Private sector role in sustainably financing agriculture-addressing the missing middle

Benjamin Njenga

Private Sector support using a holistic approach

Benjamin Njenga, MD Kenya, Apollo Agriculture Limited

12:30 pm

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1:30 pm

Private sector role in sustainably financing agriculture-addressing the missing middle

Elizabeth Wasunna-Ochwa

Supporting Women in Agribusiness (Key remarks and panel)

Elizabeth Wasunna-Ochwa, Director, Business Banking, ABSA

12:30 pm

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1:30 pm

Lunch Break and Networking

2:30 pm

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3:50 pm

Private sector role in sustainably financing agriculture-addressing the missing middle

Duncan Oyaro

Reaching small scale farmers: the problem of coordination and its implications for finance – A review of models and innovations – Carol Matiko – Gmaurich Insights, Parijat Chakrabati – University of Michigan and Sudi Matara- KTDA Foundation

Panel discussion Moderator: Duncan Oyaro FSD Kenya Panelists Seema Gohil – Director, Digifarm Kenya George Njoroge – Country Coordinator, Farm to Market Alliance (World Food Programme) Joseph Wanyingi – CEO…

3:50 pm

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4:10 pm

Closing session: Moderated by the State Department of Cooperatives

Samuel Makome

Leading from the Front: Garnering leadership, commitment for agricultural transformation- from Policy to action.

Samuel Makome, Group Chief Commercial Officer, Equity Bank

4:10 pm

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4:40 pm

Closing session: Moderated by the State Department of Cooperatives

Munyi Nthiga

Resolutions and call to action

Munyi Nthiga, Secretary General, AFIK Official announcement, FINAS 2025 Vote of thanks: Professor Emeritus, Ratemo Michieka

4:40 pm

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5:00 pm

Closing session: Moderated by the State Department of Cooperatives

Patrick Kiburi Kilemi

Official closing of the Financing Agriculture Sustainably- FINAS 2024 Conference

Patrick Kiburi Kilemi, Principal Secretary (PS), State Department for Cooperatives in the Ministry of Co-operatives and Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development.