Nairobi will host the 29th Annual International Association of Operative Millers Mideast & Africa Region (IAOM MEA) Conference and Expo, Africa’s biggest processed cereal grains forum, from October 22 to 25 October 2018 at the Movenpick Hotel & Residences. Over 500 delegates, including executives of the grain processing industry, grain traders and technology providers are expected to attend this conference.

The IAOM MEA, which connects local flour millers with international grain milling experts, machine suppliers, traders and other allied professionals, will be hosted by the Cereal Millers Association (CMA). The host Chairman of the IAOM will be Nicholas Hutchinson, Group Managing Director of UNGA Holdings Ltd. 

Some of the key issues to be discussed, led by keynote speaker Dan Basse, President and Founder of AgResource Co include trade tariffs and the declining world wheat export stocks and how they offer a dynamic world grain market in 2019. US President Trump’s trade tariffs have the potential to dramatically alter commodity flows on changing economics. This occurs along with a sharp drop in the major exporter stocks of wheat. The world exporter stock/use ratio has fallen to a decade low which makes for a dynamic and volatile trade in world wheat valuations in 2019.

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Other topics to be addressed include the challenge of feeding nine billion people by 2050 through innovation. Key speakers, including Ian Roberts, Chief Technical Officer of Buhler AG (Switzerland), will highlight how adequate, safe, nutritious and affordable food can be provided in a sustainable manner.

Prior to the three day Conference and Expo, IAOM MEA will conduct a three day technical training whose theme is “Food Safety Management Plan” is targeting to create awareness around food safety, leverage it as a competitive advantage, and reduce risk and liabilities.

This will be the second time Nairobi is hosting an IAOM MEA gathering following a regional conference in 2015 that brought together 43 operative millers and 31 machine suppliers.

The Cereal Millers Association through its Chairman Mr. Mohamed Islam is delighted to be able to host this conference that brings together so many experts in cereals from around the world and encourage all stakeholders to register their attendance on the IAOM MEA website : http://iaom-mea.com/IAOM-KENYA-2018/ 

The Cereal Millers Association was formed in 2000 and comprises of 45 of the largest millers in the country with  varied wheat, maize, rice and feed millers in Mombasa, Machakos, Eldoret, Kitale, Nairobi, Thika, Kisumu, Mwingi amongst others and its membership is still growing. CMA has been very involved in the push for liberalized grain markets with regard to maize and wheat.