Event Description

This webinar addresses the Consortium's analysis of The Rockefeller Foundation's YieldWise initiative that aimed to significantly reduce post-harvest loss in Tanzania and Kenya. The webinar includes an introduction to YieldWise and presentations on research that analyzes interventions in the mango and maize value chains. After the presentations there was a panel question and answer session about the YieldWise project and the lessons learned from the Consortium’s analysis.

Panelists

Betty Kibaara is a Director at The Rockefeller Foundation, Africa Region Office. At the Foundation, Betty leads the implementation of the YieldWise Initiative that with a goal to reduce food loss in Maize (Tanzania), Mangoes (Kenya) and Cassava and Tomato value chains to improve livelihoods of the small holder farmers. She serves as the regional champion for the Foundations initiatives in strengthening food security, agribusiness and the building of resilience to the devastating effects of climate change to enable real, sustainable and equitable economic growth.

Hory Chikez analyzes data on post-harvest loss measurements to better understand the impacts various agricultural practices, used by smallholder farmers, have on post-harvest loss in sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, he has a passion for agribusiness especially as it relates to bridging the gap between farming challenges faced by small-holder farmers in rural areas and the desire of urban food markets to sell more good quality local produce in sub-Saharan Africa.

Audra Wormald seeks to understand several persistent questions within strategy and entrepreneurship related to market creation in industries and countries characterized by high uncertainty. Prior to pursuing her PhD, Audra worked at Berkeley Research Group, an economic and litigation consulting firm in Washington, D.C

Dr. Steve Sonka is Emeritus Chaired Professor of Agricultural Strategy at the University of Illinois. Currently he also serves as Fellow at the Ed Snider Center for Enterprise and Markets at the University of Maryland and Senior Economist at the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center. A co-founder of the Centrec Consulting Group, LLC, in Savoy, Illinois, he was a partner there for more than 25 years.

Dr. Dirk E. Maier is responsible for leading an internationally recognized research and outreach program in post-harvest engineering and technology applied to global food security and nutrition. He serves as Director of the Consortium for Innovation in Post-Harvest Loss & Food Waste Reduction which aims to achieve sustained, scalable implementation of appropriate methods to preserve, process, package, and transport nutritious foods.