Coopen Summit | Voices of African Innovation 2022 is coming

It is time for meeting, discussion and inspiration, it is time for Coopen Summit | Voices of African Innovation 2022. On November 24, 2022, 11 Civil Society Organizations and 10 Italian and African innovators will meet in live streaming to talk about their innovative projects. 

The initiatives presented are the result of the synergistic activities carried out thanks to the Call for Innovators Circular Economy, Food and Sustainable Agriculture and two participatory paths of the Coopen initiative, which is part of the program Innovazione per lo Sviluppo promoted by Fondazione Cariplo and Compagnia San Paolo, and is managed by Cariplo Factory, with the contribution of JengaLab, Centro Tiresia del Politecnico di Milano and Effecinque. 

During the Coopen Summit | Voices of African Innovation 2022 event, national and European speakers operating mainly at the institutional level and in the world of international cooperation will discuss the issues of food and sustainable agriculture and the circular economy. In addition, the innovation projects developed by the Civil Society Organizations will be presented and there will be discussions on the opportunities yet to be explored. Participants will have the opportunity to take part in networking sessions, interacting with Civil Society Organizations and innovators to investigate future synergies and best practices. Coopen Summit | Voices of African Innovation 2022 confirms itself as a bridge between Africa and Italy to be inspired by innovative, generative and high-impact projects. A unique moment to meet international live speakers and high-impact realities. 

Agenda

11:00-11:35 | Welcome and institutional greetings,  

Gladys H. Morales, Senior Innovation Adviser at the Change Delivery and Innovation Unit – IFAD  

Deep dive Coopen

11:25-11:30 | Video-greeting Stainer

11:35-11:55 | Keynote Speech on Food and Sustainable Agriculture or Cooperation and Development  

Caroline Legros, Deputy Director Innovation and Knowledge Management Division – World Food Programme 

11:55-12:30 | Projects presentation 

• Innovative solutions for pig tracing, Kenya | Mani Tese – GenePlus Global Limited 
• Traceability and product quality system for fresh products in Ethiopian agri value chain, Ethiopia | LVIA – Apio S.r.l 
• Sénégal Circulaire, Senegal | LVIA – Mercato Circolare S.r.l. 

12:30-13:00 | Networking Session  

13:10-14:00 | Lunch Break & One to One   

14:00-14:20 | Keynote Speech on Circular Economy 

Amelia Kuch, Circular Economy Policy Manager – Ellen MacArthur Foundation   

14:20-15:00 | Projects presentation  

• Valorization and Resilience of local seeds in Nakuru, Kenya | Fondazione Slow Food per la Biodiversità – Seed Team 
• Agro-enterprise for sustainable development, Senegal | ENGIM – Mobique Srl 
• Informed Decision Processes: pilot project of data collection among pastoral communities in Isiolo County, Kenya | Actionaid – TriM s.r.l  
• Eco platform for plastic collection and recycling in Mathare, Kenya | LiveinSlums onlus – ValueBin S.r.l 

15:00-15:30 | Networking Session  

15:30-16:10 | Projects presentation 

• Agriculture 2.0 for Alito, Uganda | C&D – Lentera Africa  
• Enhancements of skills and productivity of 500 small farmers in Meru County, Kenya | CEFA/COL’OR NGO – Lentera Africa 
• Innovative technology at the service of a sustainable agricultural model in Burkina Faso, Burkina Faso | Fondazione ACRA – Primo Principio 
• Value From Waste, Uganda | Fondazione AVSI – Marula ProTeen Ldt 

16:10-16:40 | Networking Session  

16:40-17:00 | Closing keynote speech 

Maximo Torero Cullen, Chief Economist – Food and Agriculture Organization

Check out the speakers of

COOPEN SUMMIT | VOICES OF AFRICAN INNOVATION 2022 

Gladys H. Morales

Gladys H. Morales is Senior Innovation Adviser at the Change Delivery and Innovation Unit at the Office of the President and the Vice-President of IFAD, where she leads the design and implementation of corporate innovation initiatives and partnerships aiming to support testing, learning and scaling up solutions that target the rural poor.  
Gladys has led the digital transformation of Government and UN agencies’ projects in Latin America, Asia and Europe. She is also familiar with the startup eco-system having worked in a management position for a digital advertising startup while she was living in Indonesia and founding her own startup in Italy. Before joining IFAD, Gladys was an Advisor at the International Poverty Reduction Centre in China (IPRCC) where she led the design of digital platforms and established partnerships and knowledge networks for the Global Poverty Reduction and Inclusive Growth (GPIG) Portal. She is the Regional Ambassador in Italy of the Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC). Gladys is a graduate from the Executive Programme on Digital Business Leadership at Columbia Business School, Columbia University in New York; and the Executive Programme in Artificial Intelligence at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachussets. Gladys also has a Master in Development Economics and International Cooperation from University of Rome, Tor Vergata and a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service and International Economics from Georgetown University. 

Amelia Kuch 

Dr Amelia Kuch leads the policy insights work at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, developing and communicating policy insights to national and city governments and other key ecosystem players, including businesses and universities. Her work is driven by a belief that an inspiring, positive vision is essential for any large-scale transformation. Prior to joining the Foundation, she worked as a researcher and consultant in Europe and Africa, covering various topics including migration, land reform, and urban development. Amelia has PhD in International Development from the University of Edinburgh and is an alumna of the University of Oxford.

Caroline Legros

Caroline Legros is the Deputy Director of the Innovation and Knowledge Management Division within the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). The focus of the Innovation and Knowledge Management Division is to support WFP’s quest for continual innovation and learning to accelerate progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development goal of a world with zero hunger by 2030. To this role, Caroline brings nearly 20 years of working experience throughout the UN system, including as Deputy Director of the WFP China Centre of Excellence for South-South Cooperation, Head of Corporate Partnerships at UNHCR, Partnerships Manager, and numerous operational roles with WFP in India, DPR Korea, Iraq and Jordan.

Maximo Torero

Mr. Maximo Torero Cullen is the Chief Economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He joined the Organization in January 2019 as Assistant Director-General for the Economic and Social Development Department. Prior to joining FAO, he was the World Bank Group Executive Director for Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay since November 2016 and before the Bank Mr. Torero led the Division of the Markets, Trade, and Institutions at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). His major research work lies mostly in analyzing poverty, inequality, importance of geography and assets (private or public) in explaining poverty, and in policies oriented towards poverty alleviation based on the role played by infrastructure, institutions, and on how technological breakthroughs (or discontinuities) can improve the welfare of households and small farmers.