Malawi is set to host a two-day conference for African Agribusiness Incubators’ Network (Aain) this October after a unanimous vote from other African countries.
Confirming the news, Aain chief executive officer Professor Alex Ariho said the network, which comprises incubators from 55 African countries, voted for Malawi following strides the country has made in agribusiness incubation programmes.
He said: “The Aain 2020 conference held last October in Ghana voted to host this year’s conference in Malawi, considering that the country is more advanced in managing agribusiness incubation programmes.”
Ariho said the conference, which will be held in partnership with ministries of Education, Trade and Industry, and Youth and Sports will focus on opportunities that intercontinental free trade presents to incubators and accelerators in job creation and employment in Africa.
“During the conference, 40 incubates are also expected to graduate. These have successfully completed a three-level international incubation training based on the African Development Bank- supported Jobs for the Youth [J4Y] Programme,” he said.
Ministry of Youth and Sports Coordinator for J4Y Charles Kanyinji said in an interview the country is prepared to host the conference.
He said: “I am confident that the country will successfully host the conference, considering the positive matrices that the country has made in agribusiness incubation.”
Kanyinji said the country, through the three ministries, will share with participants from other countries key lessons learnt in Malawi’s history of business incubation which spans from the 1970s.
