Michael Hailu
Director of CTA
Biography
Michael Hailu has more than 30 years of experience in agricultural research, communications and development in Africa and Asia. Prior to joining CTA, he held senior leadership positions at the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in Nairobi, Kenya and at the Center for International Forestry Research in Indonesia. He has implemented major strategic realignment of the CTA refocusing the Centre’s work on promoting innovations and capacities to advance youth and women entrepreneurship, digitalisation and climate resilience in agriculture. He has degrees from the universities of Pittsburgh, USA and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and has been trained in strategic leadership at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, USA.
Articles
The impacts of digitalisation
Over the last 20 years, ICT Update has followed and reported on the rapidly changing landscape in ICTs for agriculture and digitalisation of the sector. The definition of digitalisation for agriculture, according to "The Digitalisation of African Agriculture Report, 2018-2019", “is the use of digital technologies, innovations, and data to transform business models and practices across the agriculture value chain, including production, postharvest handling, market access, finance and supply chain management".
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The business of farming: How digitalisation is bringing Africa’s youth back into agriculture
They say that the future belongs to the young. In Africa, the future of the continent’s agriculture almost certainly belongs to its youth. More than 60% of Africans are under 25, and every year, 10-12 million young people enter the job market in search of employment. Vast numbers work in farming in rural areas – agriculture employs almost 70% of the population – but the prospect of higher wages and a more secure livelihood is driving urban migration for many others.
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There are lessons to be learned to ensure technology is a force for good for Africa’s farmers
From delivery drones to self-driving cars and chatbots, technology may be rapidly transforming the way the world shops, works and interacts. But in Africa, digitalisation is on the cusp of sparking a far more important revolution.
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Publications
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The Digitalisation of African Agriculture Report, 2018-2019
"Digitalisation is crumbling all sorts of borders and African agriculture will be deeply impacted. Technologies can help stimulate innovation for sustainable agri-food systems and produce better and safer food while preserving natural resources and biodiversity. But we need to be conscious and support solutions that are sustainable and that are tailored to countries’ needs, and embedded into conducive and broader innovation systems." Leonard Mizzi, Head of Unit at the European Commission, DG for International Cooperation and Development
events
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Jan 23
Promoting climate finance for agriculture in East & Southern Africa
CTA in collaboration with NEPAD and FANRPAN organises a regional workshop bringing together countries in East and Southern Africa and other relevant stakeholders to discuss cross-country issues and lessons learnt in increasing finance to support climate action for agriculture, pa… -
Jan 23
GFFA 2020
The 12th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) is held in Berlin from 16 to 18 January 2020 on the subject "Food for all! Trade for secure, diverse and sustainable nutrition”.
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Jan 23
Launch of the One Million Farmer platform
This launch is a follow up to Disruptive Agricultural Technology Challenge and Conference, held in April 2019, that discussed various opportunities offered by disruptive digital technologies to increase productivity, access to services and market access in the agricultural sector in Kenya. After the two days, 14 of the most promising digital technology innovators in agriculture in Kenya we… -
Jan 23
The 9th Summit of ACP Heads of State and Government
The 9th ACP Summit of Heads of State and Government takes place from 9 to 10 December 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya. The Summit, themed “A Transformed ACP: Committed to Multilateralism”, is preceded by ministerial sessions from 6 to 8 December.
