FEW Nexus: Looking into the Future

📍 Mbeya, Tanzania | 14-16 July 2025

Tentative Program

July 13 - Arrival in Mbeya

Time Activity
All Day Hotel Check-in
Evening Happy Hour, Mingling & Registration (Eden Hotel)

July 14 - Opening Day

🗓️ Monday, July 14

Time Activity
08:00–09:00Registration, Coffee & Tea
09:00–10:00Opening Session
Shaping the Future of the FEW Nexus in East Africa
10:00–12:40Session 1: Integrated Solutions for Food, Energy & Water: A Systems Approach
10:00–10:40 – Benny Chefetz, Volcani Institute, Israel — Agricultural Water Reuse: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
11:10–11:25 – Thomas Bwana, TARI, Tanzania — Enhancing Food Security through Research
11:25–11:40 – Farid Lekja, Agadir Horticulture Complex, Morocco — Innovation in Souss-Massa
11:40–11:55 – Elijah Phiri, Univ. of Zambia — Climate Change and Agriculture in Zambia
11:55–12:10 – Jacqueline Mkindi, TAHA, Tanzania — Balancing Resource Demand
12:10–12:40 – Questions and Discussion
12:40–13:40Lunch
13:40–15:35Session 2: Irrigation 2.0 – Smart Water Management for Agriculture
13:40–13:55 – Rogers A. Lumenyela, IRDP — Irrigation Development in Tanzania
13:55–14:10 – Daniel O. Odero, MoW Kenya — Irrigation Overview of Kenya
14:10–14:25 – Michael M. Girma, Bislet-Agritec — Scaling Pressurized Irrigation
14:25–14:40 – Uri Nachshon, Volcani — Irrigation Practices in Israel
14:40–14:55 – Austin T. Phiri, Malawi — Scaling Climate-Smart AgTech
14:55–15:10 – Gary Frances, Netafim — Lessons on Pressurized Systems
15:10–15:35 – Questions and Discussion
15:35–16:00Coffee Break
16:00–17:00Session 3: Renewable Energy for Agriculture
16:00–16:15 – Yosef Abramowitz, Gigawatt — The Abundance Initiative
16:15–16:30 – John P. John, MUST — Waste to Energy at Kitulo
16:30–16:45 – Kelvin G. Madundo, Innovation Africa — Innovation Africa
16:45–17:00 – Questions and Discussion
17:00–18:30Panel: Who Will Feed Africa?
Smallholders, Medium-Scale Farms, and the Future of Agricultural Transformation

July 15 - Second Day

🗓️ Tuesday, July 15

Time Activity
09:00–10:45 Session 4: Navigating the Nexus
09:00–09:15 – Amy Spakota, UMD, USA — The Global FEW Alliance
09:15–09:30 – Leiro Letangule, Kenya Water Institute, Kenya — Capacity Building for Cross-Sector Collaboration
09:30–09:45 – Ariel Aviram, Hebrew University, Israel — A Dynamic FEW Nexus Approach to Sustainability
09:45–10:00 – Abdallah Hamadi, SAGCOT, Tanzania — Tanzania’s Economic Corridor Strategy
10:00–10:15 – Ashagrie Gibtan, Policy Studies Institute, Ethiopia — The FEW Nexus in Ethiopia: Policy & Strategy
10:15–10:45 – Questions and Discussion
10:45–11:15 Coffee Break
11:15–13:15 Breakout Sessions
Session 5: Unlocking the Capital (Room 1)
11:15–11:30 – David Zukerman, CultivAid, Israel — Unlocking Tanzania’s Grape Value Chain
11:30–11:45 – Naomi Mwasambili, Livy Africa, Tanzania — Revolutionizing the Cocoa Value Chain
11:45–12:00 – Ernest Muthomi, Avocado Society of Kenya, Kenya — Past, Present and Future of Avocados
12:00–12:15 – Nagib Karmali, Avoafrica Tz Limited, Tanzania — Avocado in Tanzania
12:15–12:30 – Sesilia J. Matemu, Norges Vel, Tanzania — Inclusive Rice Value Chains in Climate Change
12:30–12:45 – Paschal Massay, University of Dar es Salaam — Outcomes of Songwe River Basin Program
12:45–13:15 – Questions and Discussion

Session 6: Innovating Sustainability (Room 2)
11:15–11:30 – Godliving Mtui, MUST, Tanzania — Agricultural Biotechnology Trends in Tanzania
11:30–11:45 – Fabian Kaburu, KALRO, Kenya — Tech for Small-Scale Irrigators
11:45–12:00 – Emmanuely Z. Nungula, Mzumbe University — Promise of Regenerative Agriculture
12:00–12:15 – Geofrey Gathungu, Chuka University — Resilience Through Organic Farming
12:15–12:30 – Miriam K. Charimbu, Egerton University — Technologies for Gender & Economic Empowerment
12:30–12:45 – Anna Minja Arturu, MUST — Wild Edible Mushrooms
12:45–13:15 – Questions and Discussion
13:15–14:30 Lunch
14:30–18:00 Optional Program:
• Tour of Mbeya University of Science and Technology (MUST)
• OR Networking and Poster Sessions

July 16 - Closing Day

🗓️ Wednesday, July 16

Time Activity
09:00–10:20 Session 7: Resilience Under Pressure
09:00–09:15 – Eyasu Yazew Hagos, Mekelle University, Ethiopia — Solar Pumps in War-Torn Tigray
09:15–09:30 – Shira Bukchin-Peles, Hebrew University, Israel — Personal Resources in Sustainability Transitions
09:30–09:45 – Alon Sela, Volcani Institute, Israel — Global Food Network Sensitivity to Shocks
09:45–10:00 – Daniel Kurtzman, Volcani Institute, Israel — Managed Aquifer Recharge
10:00–10:20 – Questions and Discussion
10:20–10:50 Coffee Break
10:50–11:30 Session 8: Hidden Hazards in the Food Chain
10:50–11:05 – Eddie Cytryn, Volcani Institute, Israel — Detecting Antibiotic Resistance in Produce
11:05–11:20 – Paul Turner, UMD, USA — Aflatoxins, Cancer & Stunting in Sub-Saharan Africa
11:20–11:30 – Questions and Discussion
11:30–12:30 Session 9: Spotlight on Organizations
11:30–11:40 – Ahava Bebsabath, SID, Israel
11:40–11:50 – Leigh Nusbaum, AJC, USA
11:50–12:00 – Nermine Rubin, Water 4 Mercy, USA
12:00–12:10 – Liana Berlin-Fischler, Laguna System, Israel
12:10–12:30 – Open slots
12:30–13:30 Lunch
13:30–15:45 Panel: Turning Dialogue into Action
13:30–14:30 – Panel Discussion: Strategic Partnerships for Impact
14:30–15:45 – Round Table Reflections by Organization Type
15:45–16:15 Closing Panel
Summary Panel: Leaders from Round Tables
16:15–17:00 Closing Session
Final Reflections and Next Steps
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