Category: Other Events

Free Agribusiness Webinar: What makes Cocoa Good ? (4/11/2024)

Monday, November 4 · 6:30 – 7:30 pm EET

Location

Online

About this Event

The event lasts 1 hour

Uncover the complexities of the global cocoa-chocolate industry, as our experts share insights about the evolving specialty cocoa market. This session explores:

• How quality-driven approaches are reshaping cocoa prices.
• A comparative overview of bulk versus specialty categories, drawing parallels from other specialty markets such as coffee, cheese, and craft beer.
• Addressing verifiable facts versus common claims about specialty cocoa sheds a light on the intricacies of this emerging sector.
• Insights from Mexican and Ecuadorian cases, showcases how these regions are navigating the challenges and opportunities of the specialty cocoa market.
• What are sustainable and ethical practices in the industry?
• What is the notion of “goodness” in cocoa production? What it means for farmers, businesses, and consumers.
  
  Whether you’re an industry professional or simply curious about the future of cocoa, this session promises a compelling exploration of the key factors shaping the market, enriched by real-world examples and thoughtful expert analysis.

MODERATOR:

Tatevik Avetisyan Artooian, PhD. Assistant Professor
Agricultural Business, College of Agriculture, California State University, Chico; and IFAMA Young Board member and President of the IFAMA North America Chapter of Young Professionals.

PANELISTS:

Alexis H. Villacis,PhD, is an Assistant Professor at The Ohio State University studying cacao and chocolate value chains. He has experience working with USAID and the International Cocoa Organization supporting smallholder producers in Latin America.

Carla D. Martin, PhD, is a Lecturer in African and African American Studies at Harvard University. Her current research focuses on labor ethics in cacao and chocolate. She also founded the Fine Cacao and Chocolate Institute, a non-profit addressing information gaps in the cacaochocolate value chain.

Jose Lopez Ganem is a lecturer at Boston University’s Food Studies Programs, researching food, culture, and policy. He has experience in cultural ambassadorship andthe food industry, with degrees from the Culinary Institute of America and Boston University.

Register to attend here

2024 EU Agri-Food Days (10-12/12/2024)

The 2nd edition of the EU Agri-Food Days. This unmissable three-day event will allow discussions on the outlook of European agriculture, the latest agricultural trends, policy options, market developments, as well as how research, innovation and digital technologies are shaping European agriculture of today and tomorrow. It will bring together farmers, consumers, policymakers, business leaders, analysts, and experts from around the EU and world to foster dialogue and inspire transformative ideas. Please note live streaming will be available on all 3 days. No prior registration is needed to follow on-line .

Register to attend on site

Online Event: “How to ensure a Sustainable Agricultural Trade Regime” – 19th of November 2024

Join the webinar “How to ensure a Sustainable Agricultural Trade Regime”

The event will focus on agriculture-related issues and will discuss what policies and regulatory regimes can support sustainable agricultural trade. 

The lectures will explore the critical importance of sustainable agricultural trade and its benefits for the environment, economy, and society.

Speakers

Flavio Coturni | DG TRADE

Rob Vos | IFPRI

Susan Stone | University of South Australia

Jukka Likitalo | EUCOLAIT

Ignacio Sanchez Recarte | CEEV

Moderator

Fabio Santeramo | EUI & U. of Foggia

Register

Call for Abstracts – Green Trade Lab Early Career Workshop 2024 (8-9 July)

The Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies will be hosting the third Green Trade Lab Early Career Workshop 2024 edition on “The Greening of Trade in Times of Planetary and Geopolitical Crises? Ideas, Institutions, and Interdependence in the Environment-Trade-Nexus”, 8-9 July 2024.  PhD and early career researchers are welcome to submit their abstracts by 31st March to participate in the workshop. More information and abstract submission: 

Green Trade Lab Workshop 2024

Multistakeholder dialogue on the implications of EU-Africa trade and investment policies on Agricultural trade

Our partner, SEATINI-Uganda is convening a multi-stakeholder dialogue on the implications of EU-Africa trade relations on agricultural trade. The overall aim of the meeting is to enhance the capacity of value chain actors and relevant stakeholders on the implications of the EU-Africa trade and investment policies on agricultural trade. 

Specifically, the meeting aims to; 

• Enhance the capacity of policymakers, civil society organizations, and the value chain actors on the implications of EU-Africa trade and investment policies on agricultural trade. 
• Create a platform for engagement among value chain actors and policy-makers towards improving agricultural trade. 
• Advance Afro-centric pathways for inclusive, transformative, mutually beneficial and sustainable EU-Africa agricultural trade relations. 

The dialogue will bring together agri-business value chain actors and representatives from relevant African institutions, CSOs working on the right to food, trade, investment and development-related issues, policy-makers at national, regional, and continental levels, private sector actors, academics, and media practitioners from EU and African countries, respectively. 

The meeting is scheduled for Thursday 16^th November 2023 starting at 8:00am-1:00pm East Africa Time (EAT). 

Please click on this link to register for the meeting. 

Launch of the CELCAA Sector Vision on “How to achieve sustainable agri-food trade”?

15th November 2023, 4.00 pm – 6.00 pm, Thon Hotel EU, Rue de la Loi 75, 1040 Brussels,

Presently, European agri-food traders operate in an environment of continuous uncertainty. Climate change and geopolitical conflicts have shifted areas of agricultural and agri-food production and trade, modes of transport, and processing, with severe impacts on food and nutrition availability, affordability, and security.

Given these challenging circumstances, agri-food traders agree that the triangle of environment, nutrition, and food security needs fresh perspectives to create enabling and innovative conditions to secure a more sustainable business environment. Therefore, we are inviting you to discuss with us new perspectives for an essential sector!

Program

“A day in the life of an agri-food trader” with CELCAA President Marcel van der Vliet, Van Drie Group

Keynote speech: Lessons learned from the 4-year Green Deal and its impact on agri-food trade: with Michael Hager, Head of Cabinet of Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, DG Trade

7 things to think about after the elections in 2024: Agri-food traders’ recommendations ahead of European elections:

• “How to achieve sustainable agri-food trade”: About the thought process together with CELCAA Secretary General Nelli Hajdu
• Agri-food trade policy in the spotlight: essentials for the next legislative period, together with:
  • Dr. Ignacio Sanchez Recarte, Secretary General, CEEV
  • Iliana Axiotiades, Secretary General, COCERAL
  • Marcel van der Vliet, President, CELCAA/Eucolait
  • Hélène Simonin, Sustainability and Food Policy Director, UECBV

Panel discussion: How to achieve sustainable agri-food trade?

• Dr. Chantal Line Carpentier, Head, Trade, Environment, Climate Change, and Sustainable Development Branch of UNCTAD’s Division on International Trade and Commodities
• Luis Carazo Jimenez, Acting Director, International, DG Agriculture and Rural Development
• Ted Swinkels, Managing Director, CEFETRA/President Coceral,
• Lászlo Druskóczi, Head of Trade, Permanent Representation of Hungary

Moderator: Julia Dahm, Agri-Food Journalist, Euractive

Followed by a networking cocktail.

You can register here

CSD on EU-Africa trade and investment relations – 17th of March 2023

The aim of this meeting is to discuss with EU civil society the latest developments in EU-Africa trade and investment relations and exchange views on EU trade and investment policy in Africa.  The Trade Policy Review Communication published by the European Commission in February 2021 confirmed the importance of Africa in the EU’s trade policy. It proposed to enhance further sustainable trade and investment links, both between the EU and Africa and in Africa itself, while also strengthening existing regional integration processes. The link to the online event, as well as further details, are available here

Speakers

• African, Caribbean, and Pacific, Overseas Countries and Territories Unit Directorate-General for Trade, European Commission.

Moderator

Civil Society Coordination – Transparency, Civil society, and Communication Unit, Directorate-General for Trade.

Agenda

1. Updates on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs)/Associations Agreements (AAs) (trade pillar)
2. Latest developments in EU-Africa trade and investment relations
3. Open discussion with stakeholders

Related documents

EU-Angola Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreement

World Circular Economy Forum 2022 with focus on Africa

This year’s World Circular Economy Forum will be hosted in Kigali, Rwanda and online on 6–8 December, putting the whole African continent into spotlight. African Studios will bring the Forum to five big cities across the continent and Global Studios will gather local audiences to watch the live stream together. Days 1 and 2 offer seven sessions packed with information and inspiring solutions, and day 3 is reserved for partner-led Accelerator Sessions. For more information and to register, please follow this link

Event – Capacity development for agricultural innovation systems (AIS) mainstreaming and investments through the Tropical Agriculture Platform – 13th of October

This event aims to share the country and regional experiences in Africa, Latin America and Asia on CD for AIS, as well as insights on evidence-based policy dialogue and investments on agricultural innovation, based on regional and country level assessments. To participate in this event, please register using the following link

Tralac Annual Conference 2022, 13-14 October 2022: Africa’s trade and governance agenda in a changing world

The 2022 tralac Annual Conference takes place against the backdrop of global crises of which the medium and long-term consequences are not yet clear. At this conference, we will discuss some of the features of the crises now to be faced, but the real challenge is to understand their interconnectedness and broader implications.

At this Annual Conference, we discussed developments involving continent-wide trade under AfCFTA preferences, alongside the Regional Economic Community (REC) Free Trade Areas (FTAs). We recognise that Africa’s economic development and integration is, in the first instance, its own responsibility. That is one reason why tralac’s mantra is good governance. We are of the view that the AfCFTA design has introduced new elements into the debate about regional integration in Africa, through the inclusion of the REC FTA acquis as a founding principle of continental integration.
For more info click here