The conference, held last month, was organised by Syngenta and the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). This was the second meeting of the Pan Africa Chemistry Network, established by Syngenta and the RSC as a way of increasing communication between chemists across Africa. The key note speaker at the event was His Excellency Joachim Chissano, the former Mozambique Head of State. He spoke of the need to find solutions to Africa’s dire water shortages. He urged the delegates to find systemic and quick solutions which he could deliver to the United Nations on World Water Day 2010. His presentation was also published in newspapers across Africa to highlight the need for urgent action. Kenya is currently in its worst draught in living memory with food shortages being threatened.
Syngenta CEO Mike Mack also spoke at the opening ceremony and called for more technology to be used in African farming to reduce water usage. “ Farming uses 70% of the worlds available fresh water. By using modern methods of farming systems such as minimum tillage you can keep the water in the soil, reduce erosion and grow strong crops,” he told the delegates.
Representatives of the Kenyan government and the UN Environmental Programme also spoke at the opening session before the delegates went into separate sessions on water related topics.
The findings of the three day conference hosted at the University of Nairobi Chemistry department are to be published at the beginning of 2010.