August 10, 2018
Purdue partners with African Development Bank to host first ever Scale Up Conference
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University will host the Scale Up Conference on Sept. 25-27 to address how the large scale adoption of technologies can shift agricultural innovations from research institutions into the developing world. The conference offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity for academic, research and business communities to learn from and network with each other. Hosted in collaboration with the African Development Bank, the conference will feature Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank and Purdue alumnus, as the keynote speaker.
“This will be the first multi-day conference on this topic that includes presentations, panel discussions, case studies, and breakout group discussions to help conference participants develop a thorough understanding of how to scale up agricultural innovations to reach millions,” said Indrajeet Chaubey, associate dean and director of International Programs for the College of Agriculture at Purdue University.
With the backdrop of a world population that will soon outgrow its food supply, the Scale Up Conference will explore what enables the successful large-scale adoption of pivotal agricultural technologies. Dozens of speakers who have implemented scale up processes in agricultural landscapes will participate. One of the speakers will be Simon Heck, program leader of the International Potato Center, who will share a case study regarding the widespread adoption of biofortified orange fleshed sweet potatoes to combat vitamin A deficiencies in Africa.
“In the College of Agriculture we work to develop solutions to real world problems while also finding methods to realistically deliver and grow these technologies,” said Karen Plaut, the Glenn W. Sample Dean of the College of Agriculture. “The Scale Up Conference is about taking those technologies and applying them in the developing world.”
For more information about the Scale Up Conference visit https://bit.ly/2KhV3CH.
Writer: Emma Ea Ambrose, 765-494-2406, eeambros@purdue.edu
Source: Suzanne Nielsen, 765-496-1727, nielsens@purdue.edu
Agricultural Communications: (765) 494-8415;
Maureen Manier, Department Head, mmanier@purdue.edu
