Vuka Group

The global software giant SAP has joined African Utility Week as a gold sponsor at the conference and exhibition that is taking place from 16-18 May in Cape Town.

This year's African Utility Week Industry Awards will have a distinctly feminine feel with an all women cast and a strong line-up of ladies among the finalists for the coveted awards for the top energy and water professionals

A new World Bank study presents a sobering assessment of the financial health of electricity utilities in Sub-Saharan Africa, and suggests how utilities can be profitable while extending affordable services for the poor.

"The only way we can achieve the status of being a breadbasket is to zero rate agriculture" says Jervis Zimba, President of the Zambia National Farmers' Union, the owners of the upcoming Agritech Expo Zambia, in Chisamba from 27-29 April.

The award-winning African Utility Week has welcomed back a longstanding supporter, the global energy giant Shell, who will be a platinum sponsor again at the conference and exhibition from 16-18 May in Cape Town.

"Enhancing linkages and diversification will be the key message at DRC Mining Week" says Dr. Kojo Busia, Acting Coordinator, African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC) and keynote speaker in the opening session of the upcoming mining event.

The upcoming Agritech Expo at GART in Chisamba will once again offer free workshops offering practical advice as well as live demonstrations to help farmers combat challenges such as the armyworm and explore new technologies.

The upcoming Agritech Expo Zambia in Chisamba from 27-29 April will feature a record number of six international pavilions from strong farming countries Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, France, the Czech Republic and Zimbabwe.

Water management forms an important part of African Utility Week and this year the conference will focus on how private public partnerships can assist water utilities to become more responsive and efficient in their practices.

As in previous years, Agritech Expo Zambia enjoys extensive support from the agri industry with the well-known supplier AFGRI Corporation Ltd., the sole John Deere distributor in Zambia, returning as platinum sponsors again.