From October 1st to 2nd, 2024, AU IBAR was present at the First International Conference on Agri-Value Chain Investment, which was organised by the Federal Republic of Somalia and held at the AIAA Hangar in Mogadishu, Somalia. Somali businesses and foreign investors were invited to this conference in the hopes of fostering private sector engagement in sustainable development. The goal is to facilitate Business-to-Business (B2B) networking and increase Somalia's appeal as a site for investments in the agricultural value chain. Thanks to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Resilient African Feed and Fodder Systems (RAFFS) Project, which AU-IBAR is a part of, the conference took place. The project supports the Somalia Feed and Fodder Multi-Stakeholder Platform (MSP) and the African Women in Animal Resources Farming and Agribusiness Project (AWARFA-N).

The inaugural International Conference on Investment in Agri-Value Chains was officially launched by H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia. The event was co-hosted by the European Union and the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation. "This event represents a critical step towards exploring potential opportunities in this virgin country and achieving our goal of feeding Somalis and exporting food to other countries," President H.E. Mohamed Abdi Hayir (Maareeye), Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, said in his opening address, highlighting the significance of the conference. Our goal in convening these influential individuals is to build lasting partnerships that will attract investment to our agri-value chains, which will boost farmers' incomes and the Somali economy as a whole.

“Let us seize the chances before us and unleash the full potential of Somalia’s economic sectors,” said Karin Johansson, the EU's ambassador to Somalia. With any luck, this meeting will forge new connections, spark fresh ideas, and seal important pledges to improve the future of Somalia's economic sectors. 

Investors and prominent members of different groups and countries were present at the gathering. Incorporating sector investments into the high-level Somalia engage forum was the major objective of the conference, which aimed to persuade financial institutions and diaspora groups to participate in Somalia's feed and fodder industry. 

In his speech, David Maina, who is an expert in feed and fodder business development for the RAFFS Project at AU-IBAR, stressed the significance of the livestock sector as a foundational element of development and an engine of economic revival in Somalia. "Right now, it's structured as a sector, but it is possible to mainstream contracting and feed lotting of livestock so that the value chain develops a little further by selling not only live animals, but value-added products, including the export of meat," noted Mr. Maina.  

As part of the agricultural value chain, key infrastructure issues such as the development of suitable regulatory frameworks for Agri-inputs and the quality of products were addressed. Experts looked into possible public-private partnership investment opportunities to boost value chain efficiency. 

Increased investment and development in Somalia's feed and fodder sectors were outcomes of the event's production of a detailed database and profiles of prospective investors. In addition to enhancing their roles and contributions to the sector, the event brought more attention to the Feed and Fodder Multi-Stakeholder Platform (MSP) for Somalia and AWARFA-N. Taking advantage of the event's global spotlight on agriculture, the Somali government raised awareness of the investment potential in fodder.