Agenda
Contact us on the details below to register your interest in speaking opportunities at the conference:
Bhuvam Patel
+44 20 719 3496
bhuvam.patel@argusmedia.com
- 17:00
Complimentary excursion to Table Mountain (limited availability)
Join your colleagues and clients travelling in to Cape Town for a sunset excursion to the iconic Table Mountain. Coach to leave from Westin CTICC at 5:00pm and return at 7:30pm.
- Skip the queue and private cable car access for guests.
- 12:00
Registration opens and badge pick up
Registration desks open, pick up your badges using our kiosks.
- 17:30 - 22:00
Welcome reception sponsored by Quest Group: Sunset Party at Cabo Beach
Complimentary shuttles for badge-holders and attendees to the venue. Join clients, new business contacts and industry colleagues for a sundowner at Cabo Club's private beach. Make long lasting memories with your colleagues at Cape Town's most luxurious private beach venue offering you live music, food and local beverages.
Enjoy views of Atlantic and Robben Island while sampling South Africa's best produce. Coaches to the venue leave at 5:30pm from the Westin CTICC.
- 8:00 - 09:15
Registration and exhibition area open
Doors open and networking breakfast served in exhibition area. Set up meetings at our dedicated meeting lounges.
- 9:15 - 10:00
Conference producer and chairperson's opening remarks
Speakers Include:
Tim Cheyne
SVP - Global Head of Agriculture, Fertilizers, Ammonia, DEFArgusFormal opening ceremony and ministerial keynote
Opening ceremony and by keynote South African Ministry of Agriculture
- 10:00 - 11:00
Keynote panel: food security for Africa, how is Africa the new epicentre for food security research and development
- Understanding the changing role of fertilizer producers from manufacturers to supply chain managers
- Effects of trade disruptions on Africa’s key producers
- Roadmap for 2025 and beyond: mechanisms for market resilience and farmer welfareSpeakers Include:
Seelan Gobalsamy
CEOOmnia HoldingsJulian Palliam
CEO & PresidentFoskorWandile Sihlobo
Chief EconomistAgricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz)Habiba Mouttaki
Chief Commercial OfficerOCP AfricaNiren Murugan
COOETG AfricaDr. Maen Nsour
CEOArab Potash Company- 11:00 - 11:45
Morning networking break
Catch up on meetings, work and meet new clients at our dedicated networking lounges.
- 11:45 - 12:30
Argus Africa price outlook and mythbuster on sustainable fertilizers
- Current global fertilizer prices and its effects on African import
- What is a sustainable fertilizer? Will the market grow?Speakers Include:
Oliver Hatfield
VP FertilizersArgusMike Nash
Senior Editor, FertilizersArgus Media- 12:30 - 13:30
Understanding the existing barriers to Africa’s demand for sustainable and specialty fertilizers
- Why have specialty products not embedded into African trade?
- Comparing LATAM and Africa’s demand for specialty products
- How can LATAM market’s successes be replicated in Africa?
Presented by Koch Agronomic Services and Rio TintoSpeakers Include:
Matias Ruffo
Director- Agronomy (LATAM & Sub-Saharan Africa)Marcus Meadows-Smith
CEOBioconsortia- 13:30 - 15:00
Lunch
Lunch served and time for lunch meetings in dedicated networking lounges
- 14:30 - 15:00
How is domestic mineral exploration helping Africa become more self-reliant as a fertilizer producing continent?
- Exploring regional capacities for mineral exploration across Africa. where can it happen?
- How will sustainable nutrients accelerate plant nutrition and improve soil health?
- What opportunity does this present to traders and blenders?- 15:30 - 16:00
Common purpose: sustainable development for a self-reliant African fertilizer market
- Goal-setting: what are the key goals for producers to make sure food security in Africa is achieved?
- Mutual ambitions: how can producers and distributors collaborate further to improve economic efficiency?
- Key to the future: investing in soil health to understand African demandSpeakers Include:
Sebastian Nduva
AFO programme leadInternational Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC)Patrick Heffer
Deputy Director GeneralIFA- 16:00 - 16:30
Afternoon networking break
Grab a coffee and conduct meetings at dedicated networking lounges
- 16:30 - 16:45
Digitising shipping and trade to curtail mismanagement of resources
- 16:45 - 17:30
Argus Fertilizer Africa Awards Ceremony 2025
Judges announce winners and drinks served
Speakers Include:
Gerald Maithya
SME and Startups Lead; Africa Transformation OfficeMicrosoftNerina Bodasing
Group Executive, Communications, Investor Relations, MarketingOmnia HoldingsHabiba Mouttaki
Chief Commercial OfficerOCP AfricaSebastian Nduva
AFO programme leadInternational Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC)- 17:30 - 18:30
Evening networking reception
Sundown reception spectacular views, drinks and food provided to enjoy your time with key clients and colleagues.
- 08:30 - 09:00
Registration and exhibition area open
Meeting with your clients over coffee and breakfast at our dedicated networking lounges
- 9:00 - 9:45
Argus C-Level roundtable (invite-only)
C-Suites from across the African fertilizer supply chain discuss key initiatives and market challenges while growing their networks within the region.
- 10:00 - 10:05
Chairperson's opening remarks
Speakers Include:
Tim Cheyne
SVP - Global Head of Agriculture, Fertilizers, Ammonia, DEFArgus- 10:00 - 11:00
A year of disruption and choppy seas: how has Africa adapted to the Red Sea crisis? changes in trade dynamics and logistics
- How will African ports tackle new trade traffic as a result of the Red Sea crisis?
- Will African ports become the new choice for trade between Europe, Asia and North America?
- Tackling the disruption in supply of raw materials for fertilizer productionSpeakers Include:
Jesper Sorensen
CEODSM Corridor (Dar-Es Salaam)Jacques de Villiers
Head of Supply ChainOmnia HoldingsNicholas Obby Mainza
Chief Agriculture Economist - Trade and AgribusinessMinistry of Agriculture- Zambia- 11:00 - 11:30
Morning networking break
Catch up on meetings, work and set up meetings in our dedicated networking lounges
- 11:30 - 12:00
In-roads in trade and growing Africa’s landlocked markets to grow production within the continent
- Why have landlocked African countries not been able to benefit from port infrastructure?
- New investments in rail: how will a strong rail network benefit the African fertilizer blenders?
- Will privatisation of the rail network truly work?- 12:00 - 12:30
Financing new agri-ventures in Africa: how to attract more investment
- Have Africa’s financial institutions provided platforms for local innovation
- Varied approaches to agribusiness investment: micro-finance schemes vs infra loans- 12:30 - 13:00
Closing keynote
VIP Speaker to be announced
- 13:00 - 14:00
Lunch and conference close
Lunch meetings and conference close