Report on the Strathmore Agri_Food innovation centre (SAFIC) public lecture

EVENT OVERVIEW
We (FOWK) attended the public lecture at the SAFIC where the quest speaker was Surita Sandosham, the president and CEO of Heifer international. Although there was a slight delay in arrival due to gate protocols, the session proved worthwhile and insightful. The theme of lecture was "youth innovation, partnership and access to finance".
PARTICIPANTS
The event brought together youth from various universities and colleges as well as professionals from various institutions. The diversity in attendees provided an engaging atmosphere for learning and collaboration.
MAIN AGENDA
The key agenda of the event was to discuss ways to shape the future of African Agriculture through innovation , youth empowerment and improved access to financial resources . The strategic pillars of SAFIC were highlighted as: Market partner intelligence, research and innovation brokerage, Data and insight for decision support
KEY HIGHlIGHTS
According to Ms. Sandosham ,many youth led innovations face challenges due to inadequate funding and limited access to credit.To address this, mentorship programmmes and credit systems are essential .She emphasized that mentorship can help to bridge the gap between ideas and implementation. Example of successful initiatives by Heifer international were also shared including AI weather forecasting and irrigation systems helping pastoralist communities. A notable case was mentioned in Uganda where over 250 students were participating in Heifer international mentorship program . Strathmore students were also introduced to this initiative
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, it was acknowledged that youths are key players in innovation and development.For this project to work they need access to finance, mentorship and supportive programs.The session was brief but highly informative, inspiring and encouraging for attendees to become innovators and inventors. The space for inovation as emphasized is big, wide and endless.Generally despite being late, but we all know better late than... It was truly a day well spent thanks to our supportive boss and supervisor Mr David wakogy.