“GRAIN AFRICA – Africa Grain, Pulses and Technologies Congress and Expo” that Parantez Group organizes with the cooperation of the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture and Addis Ababa University was held between 29th – 31st October in Addis Ababa. The opening of the congress was performed by Ethiopia State Minister Wondyirad MANDEFRO, Ambassador of Republic of Turkey Mr. Osman Rıza YAVUZALP and General Director of Parantez Group Zübeyde KAVRAZ. Africa Grain, Pulses and Technologies Congress and Expo that is aiming to bring together the senior officials in African countries and grain sector representatives with the world’s leading technology companies and senior officials was held between 29th –31st October in African Union Conference Hall. The opening of the African Grain Congress on 29th October was performed by . Ethiopia State Minister Wondyirad MANDEFRO, Ambassador of Republic of Africulture Turkey Osman Rıza YAVUZALP and General Director of Parantez Group Mrs. Zübeyde KAVRAZ. AFRICAN POTENTIAL DESERVES A SPECIAL ATTENTION Overseas Director of Parantez Group M. Fethullah AKATAY made a speech in the name of Parantez Group in the opening and drew attention to the future potential of Africa and continued as follows: “While the access to the nutrition is getting more alarming every single day; Africa maintains a very significant potential within its own sources because many countries in Africa have very large agricultural lands and highly convenient climates and soil specifications with respect to the agricultural production. This indicates the food industry potential based upon grain and pulse in many African countries. The fact that this is understood better nowadays requires us to show a special attention to this continent. AKATAY who stated that the reason of organizing that congress was to contribute to the revealing of the real potential in Africa via their own area of specialization and that they aim to enhance this congress with respect to the participation as well as content and sharing in the following years and continued: “Any contribution we will provide to the development of African continent is in fact an investment to the future of the world”. “ETHIOPIA IS A SUCCESS STORY” Ambassador of Republic of Turkey Osman Rıza YAVUZALP who took the floor after AKATAY remarked that such an event was very convenient for Ethiopia which is focused on grain and agriculture technologies. YAVUZALP said, “Ethiopia is a success story in the region and there are many lessons to take from country’s success stories.” MINISTER MANDEFRO: “OUR ENTERPRISES SHOULD GROW AND ADAPT THEMSELVES TO THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES” Ethiopian State Minister of Agriculture Wondyirad MANDEFRO also made a speech by indicating his gladness of hosting that congress as Ethiopia and gave information related to the agriculture and food sector in the country. Minister MANDEFRO who emphasized the importance given to the agricultural production and food sector by Ethiopia and Africa continued as follows: “As many of you follow, in our country and in many country in Africa; investments and projects that are intending to agricultural production and food production, are rising day by day. Also governments are preferentially taking these topics within their politics and supporting in different ways. Also we as the Ethiopia Federal Republic, giving importance to the agriculture and food sector development in our country. Grain and pulses production of our country has showed rising over the 100 percentage within last decade. Today in our country, over 3 million tons wheat, over 4 million tons sorghum and over 6,5 million tons corn production is performed. Pulses production is reaching to 70 thousand tons. When we look at the agriculture products processing industry in our country; we see that about 250 small and middle scale mills and near 350 macaroni and pulses producers. These our business firms should enlarge the scale and adapt the new technologies. Therefore, our goal primarily is to provide sustainability by raising grain and pulses production amount more and to take initiative for the processing industry development. I believe that Africa Grain Congress which we performed its opening here today will also make an important contribution to both us and our industry representatives in relation to achieving agriculture and food production targets. On the other hand, this congress is an opportunity in terms of seeing the new technologies available in other countries and sharing of experiences; especially Ethiopia that has hosted this congress and all Africa can benefit from these experiences." INFORMATION AND EXPERIENCE SHARE IN “FROM FIELD TO THE TABLE” FOOD PRODUCTION The Congress performed in devotion to African continent has to main motives. First is to assist to the effective use of current agricultural production sources in the countries within the region and thus solve the problem of access to the good problem in many countries within the related region. Second motive is to provide an effective, forward communication and cooperation with the countries that shall be leading ones in the agricultural production of the region. The goal of the congress in which the grain and pulses based agricultural production will be discussed is to perform an information and experience share with the countries in the region with respect to all phases of “from field to the table” food production chain. The program of the congress that will last 3 days has also been determined in this direction. The congress is composed of three main sessions respectively “Raw material production, supply and storage”, Grain based food products and processing process of the raw material” and “Sustainable agricultural food products and their processing processes”. The topics: “the issues encountered in the vegetative production, production enhancement methods, seed production, the role of the technology in the vegetative production, the storage of grain and pulses as well as food security topics were discussed on the first day of the congress. The second day of the congress was completely spared to the processing of grain and pulses products. The topics related to the processing of certain grain and pulses products such as wheat, corn, sorghum, millet and teff and the advantages of the technologies used in these processes, quality issues, and flour additives and processing facility installation were discussed on the second day of the congress. In the last day of the congress, the packaging of the flour and grain products, pasta production processes and raw material quality topics were approached. TECHNOLOGY PRODUCERS ARE ALSO IN ETHIOPIA Leading technology manufacturers of grain and pulses sector are also took part in the congress which is supported by African Union, the Pan African Chamber of Commerce, the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and the African Agricultural Platform. These companies took place between the participants which gave information at the stands which they opened in the foyer area of the congress hall about the technologies they produce; Molino Makina, Ugur Makina, BBCA Storex, Alapala Makina, Genc Degirmen, Akyurek Teknoloji, Altuntas (Obial), Anselmo S.p.a, Basak Silo, Brabender, Choyal, FP Engineering Ltd (Fp Spomax Sa), Imeco (Effegielle Srl), Imas Makina, S.T.I.F., Teknoloji Makina (Mill Teknoloji), Westeel (Steel Silo).