Business leaders and supply chain experts gathered at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra, Ghana, on July 29-30 for the inaugural Supply Chain Business Forum and Exhibition.

Organized by the Center for Applied Research and Innovation in Supply Chain - Africa (CARISCA), the event aimed to enhance supply chain management practices across the continent under the theme, "Navigating the Future of Supply Chains in Africa."

During the opening, Prof. Nathaniel Boso, Centre Director of CARISCA, highlighted the opportunity for academia and industry to collaborate on university-conducted research to address business challenges.

He added that the two-day event serves as a platform to unite industry professionals, supply chain experts, entrepreneurs, and solution providers. He noted that addressing the challenges in Africa's supply chain management requires collaboration among all three sectors.

“We hope to discover answers to two questions during the Business Forum,” says CARISCA
Executive Director Dale Rogers, Arizona State University professor.

“What are the best supply chain practices throughout the African continent? And what support does African business need from leading-edge university research?”

Ruby Amegah, Vice President of Global Food Product R&D at Starbucks, spoke on the topic, "The Odyssey of Coffee and Cocoa Beans — From African Soil to Global Cup." She highlighted the dynamic supply chain in Africa and explained how Starbucks has navigated this complex landscape to deliver great-tasting coffee while ensuring a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient future for the industry.

She stated that Africa has immense opportunities in the supply chain sector, given its wealth of minerals and resources.

“Navigating the supply chain in Africa can seem like a rollercoaster…but it doesn’t have to be that way," she said. "We have everything, the global supply chain revolves around Africa."

However, she emphasized that realizing these opportunities requires significant investment.

"The outlook for supply chains in Africa is bright, but building a robust supply chain ecosystem will require strategic investment from private sectors working with governments in a transparent regulatory environment."

Her insights highlight the importance of collaboration and investment to build a sustainable and efficient supply chain network across the continent.

The forum also featured dynamic panel discussions on supply chain traceability in the cocoa, coffee, and health sectors. It also included presentations on the Ghana Logistics Managers

Index (LMI) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The event also featured an exhibition space where leading companies showcased their products and services. The Centre for Applied Research and Innovation in Supply Chain – Africa (CARISCA) is a centre of excellence at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. It was created in partnership with Arizona State University and with support from the United States Agency for International Development. CARISCA is a globally recognized, locally owned hub for generating and translating innovative research into positive development outcomes for Ghana and pan-African supply chains.