The Interconnections for Making Africa Great Empowered and Sustainable (IMAGES) Initiative, in collaboration with Africa Circular Economy Research and Policy Network (ACERPiN), organized a week-long Circularity Africa Conference in May 2022 themed “Paradoxes of Natural Resources in Africa”. Members of this initiative and network, a group of sustainable development enthusiasts from all walks of life, took the opportunity to explore different sustainable approaches to minimize food waste and postharvest loss in Africa and beyond.
The President of IMAGES Initiative, Dr Olawale Olayide, said one of the group’s core interests is encouraging and developing a circular economy, where Africa’s resources are cyclically maximized, with zero tolerance for waste. The team began the conference by engaging in activities that offset carbon in the air before expending any. They did this through tree planting and rainwater harvesting at Abadina Grammar School, Ibadan, Nigeria. Other days focused on using robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) to deploy technology for sustainable agriculture, so agriculture can continue despite climate change or personnel availability challenges. They also had plenary sessions on avoiding the wastage of resources in Africa.