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This Wednesday, October 16, World Food Day (WFD) is being celebrated in countries around the world under the theme "The right to food for a better life and future". Achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 2), aimed at eliminating hunger and promoting sustainable agriculture, seems out of reach by 2030. 

By 2024, 713 to 757 million people will be food insecure, i.e. 1 in 11 worldwide and 1 in 5 in Africa. Agricultural losses due to pests also compromise efforts to combat hunger.

In response to these challenges, the Conseil Ouest et Centre Africain pour la Recherche et le Développement Agricoles (CORAF) is organizing the 2024 edition of the Marché des Innovations et Technologies Agricoles (MITA ), dedicated to pest management, from October 21 to 25 in Lomé, Togo. 

The theme of this multi-stakeholder event is " Facilitating access to agricultural technologies and innovations for the integrated management of plant and animal pests and diseases ". MITA is intended as a forum for dialogue and the exchange of agricultural technologies and innovations between organizations and players providing agricultural technologies and innovations, on the one hand, and users and suppliers of these technologies and innovations, on the other. 

In Lomé, climate-smart technologies and innovations for integrated pest and disease management that are sensitive to gender and the nutritional needs of populations will be on display, having already been tested, validated and ready for adoption by entrepreneurial farmers and peasants. 

"MITA 2024 is much more than just a forum for exchange. It is an essential platform that highlights innovative solutions to today's agricultural challenges, especially those related to pests as well as plant and animal diseases. It's imperative that we accelerate the adoption of these technologies to build a more resilient and inclusive agriculture, while meeting the needs of young people and women". calls out Dr Moumini Savadogo, Executive Director of CORAF.

For this 2024 edition," says Dr Savadogo, "the focus will be on promoting Technologies and Innovations for integrated pest and disease management that meet the needs of the various links (production, post-harvest, processing, mechanization, etc.) in the agricultural value chains and Integrated Landscape Management. 

MITA will feature a number of sessions for exchanging information on technologies developed by research structures, start-ups and public and private agricultural research centers/units, and for networking. The event will also serve as an exhibition and demonstration area for technologies and innovations for the benefit of the public and agricultural professionals. 

This market, organized by CORAF and its partners, is intended to stimulate market demand and facilitate trade in agricultural technologies and innovations. The aim is also to encourage greater political commitment to support agricultural research and the scaling-up of integrated pest and disease management technologies. 

More than just a forum for showcasing technologies and innovations already available, MITA will also stimulate innovation among Africa's youth. 

As such, MITA 2024 in Lomé will also host the first edition of the "West and Central African Youth Summit on Climate Smart Agriculture". Organized by CORAF and its partners, the Summit aims to get young people to unleash their potential and improve their technical skills in developing agricultural entrepreneurship under changing climatic conditions.

Under the theme "Engaging young people in climate-smart agriculture by unleashing their potential", the summit will offer young people the opportunity to exchange views with industry leaders and present their agricultural innovations in the field of climate-smart agriculture. 

MITA 2024 is a response to current and future challenges in the fight against pests whose spread is amplified by climate change. 

"Economic losses due to pests threaten the food security of many people, and climate change exacerbates the situation by facilitating the spread of these pests".declared in last September the ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mrs Massandjé Touré-Litse, at the launch of the regional pest epidemic preparedness and response plan. 

Ultimately, MITA 2024 represents a unique opportunity for a technological response to the challenges of food and sustainable agricultural production.