Background and Purpose of ELPS Initiative In recent years, with growing interest in environment and human rights, an increasing number of companies aim for sustainable procurement of food ingredients. However, challenges exist in understanding actual conditions at the production stage in developing countries and ensuring reliable procurement of imported agricultural products. As a solution, during the G7 Miyazaki Agricultural Ministers' Meeting in April 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) launched the "Enhanced Linkages between Private Sector and Small-scale producers (ELPS)" initiative in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). This initiative aims to facilitate matching between Japanese companies and local producers in developing countries, supporting private sector efforts to build sustainable supply chains and improve product quality and productivity, in collaboration with IFAD, a specialized UN agency.
Event Details The event will be held on Friday, August 22, 2025, from 10:00 to 11:30 at Pacifico Yokohama Exhibition Hall D・S-10 (1-1-1 Minatomirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture) in a hybrid format combining face-to-face and online participation. The event will be fully open, with no advance registration required for face-to-face participation, while online participation requires registration through a dedicated link.
Distinguished Participant Lineup The event will be hosted by freelance journalist Ms. Tomoko Omura, with opening remarks by IFAD President Mr. Alvaro Lario and Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ms. Sachiko Yamamoto. Speakers include His Excellency Mr. Baraka Haran Luvanda (Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Republic of Tanzania to Japan) and Her Excellency Ms. Mukasine Marie Claire (Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Rwanda to Japan). The panel discussion will feature Mr. Rick van der Kamp (IFAD Market & Value Chain Specialist), Mr. Hiroshi Shibatani (President and CEO of UCC Ueshima Coffee Co., Ltd.), Mr. Hidefumi Oya (Executive Officer, Food & Agriculture Division, Marubeni Corporation), Mr. Hideya Komori (President and CEO of Osti Japan Co., Ltd.), Mr. Olivier Kwizera (Sustainable Agriculture & Certification Coordinator, Rwanda Nuts Company Ltd.), and Mr. Osamu Kubota (Special Analyst for International Food Information, Export and International Affairs Bureau, MAFF), providing discussions from multiple perspectives.
Expected Outcomes and Significance The event will focus on the ELPS initiative while conducting specific discussions on establishing and strengthening sustainable supply chains through collaboration between government, private sector, and producers in Africa. Multifaceted effects are expected, including support for Japanese companies' entry into African markets, capacity building for local producers, and strengthening food security.
The article demonstrates Japan's efforts to strengthen government-private partnerships in agricultural fields for African development support, aiming to achieve both international contribution and economic cooperation through building sustainable food systems.