Message from the AAAE & AEASA Presidents
Have you registered for the AAAE & AEASA Conference 2023? The two presidents have a message for you.
Message From the AAAE President: Guy-Blaise Nkamleu
Dear AAAE Colleagues,
I am writing to provide you with an update on the progress we are making towards the upcoming joint AAAE & AEASA Conference 2023.
1. The Early-Bird registration is ongoing until 31 July 2023. Your participation is vital as we strive to return to in-person meetings after the challenges we faced during the Covid-19 pandemic.
2. The Program Committee accepted an array of exceptional papers for the conference, showcasing the depth of research by our early-career researchers, comprising diverse topics. Prof. Emeritus Nick Vink, the 3rd President of AAAE, is once again leading the Program Committee for this conference. Many of you may already be familiar with Nick's exceptional leadership, as he has been guiding the Program Committee since 2010. We are forever grateful for his continued dedication and valuable contributions to our two associations and the conferences.
3. We have also secured high-quality speakers to bring valuable insights to our conference. The identity of AAAE's keynote speaker will be communicated soon.
4. The AAAE is committed to supporting the professional development of our young members, particularly students and early-career researchers. We have received numerous requests for sponsorship, and we are working tirelessly to secure sufficient funding to assist as many deserving individuals as possible.
5. The program committee is working hard to ensure that the draft program for the conference is available soon.
6. A user-friendly conference app provided by Whova.com will be available at least a month before the conference. This app will enhance your experience, allowing you to plan your schedule, connect with attendees, access session materials, and receive real-time updates.
7. If you are planning to attend the conference from a different country, it is key to initiate your visa application process earlier to avoid last-minute rush. Please check the conference website for guidance. Contact Kerry Nicholson Kerry@confco.co.za from our support team if you need help.
8. As we approach the end of our current board's term, I invite those of you who are interested in serving on the next board to express your interest directly to me via president@aaae-africa.org. The positions available are- President, Vice President and the five regional Representatives. Your commitment to the association's mission and willingness to contribute to its growth and development is greatly valued.
Lastly, we plan to provide weekly updates on conference preparations, including session schedules, speakers, special events, and important announcements. Thank you for your continuous support and dedication to the African Association of Agricultural Economists. Your commitment allows us to thrive and make a meaningful impact in our field.
Thank you, and please head to the Registration page and register in large numbers. There will be space for everyone in Durban.
Guy-Blaise Nkamleu
President: AAAE
Message From the AEASA President: Melissa van der Merwe
Dear AEASA family,
Like many of you, I used the school and University holidays to take a quick break before tackling the second part of the year and everything it brings. While on holiday in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, we saw no less than nine Honey Badgers, an extremely rare sighting. For those who do not know, there is an Afrikaans saying, "so taai soos 'n ratel", which translates to "as tough as a honey badger". These tough little creatures are known for their tenacity and having survived attacks from African killer bees, snakes, jackals and even lions. No wonder they are often referred to as the "Chuck Norris of the African Bushveld".
The many 'attacks' on our existence (recall COVID-19, the riots, floods, and the Russia- Ukraine war, to name a few) over the past few years made me think that perhaps the agricultural sector is the honey badger (or the Chuck Norris if you want) of the world. I suspect this idea to be supported during the AAAE AEASA 2023 conference discussions focusing on the tenacity of our agricultural sector after seeing the lineup of speakers and the titles of accepted papers. AEASA family, I know the conference fees are slightly higher this year than usual. I tried my very best to keep the costs as low as possible, which is why I want to encourage you to make use of the Early Bird registration (https://www.acae2023.org/registrations), which ends on 31st July 2023.
The program organisers, led by Prof Nick Vink, received 479 papers, of which 220 were provisionally selected for oral presentation and 125 for visual presentation. According to Prof Vink, the competition was fierce, and selecting the papers for the best paper category was even more difficult. Congratulations to those AEASA members whose papers were accepted. If your paper was accepted, please remember to register to secure your spot in the program. We can all look forward to great contributions from our colleagues, exciting debates, and, more importantly, re-connecting and collaborating during the many networking opportunities.
Jill McCluskey, Director, and Regents Professor at Washington State University School of Economic Sciences is also on the program to deliver the Simon Brand Memorial Address. Her research focuses on product quality and reputation, food labeling and standards, food access, and consumer preferences for new technology. She is an award-winning researcher, is widely published with more than 135 journal articles and cited with an h-index of 46. She is also an award-winning mentor, and served as major professor to 49 Ph.D. graduates, many of whom are professors at major research universities. I met her during the International Conference of Agricultural Economists, and I am sure that you will find her address thought provoking. You can find more information on her research here - https://people.ses.wsu.edu/mccluskey/
Lastly, I would also like to remind you that this year is an AEASA election year. During the AEASA Annual General Meeting, we will select new candidates for the President, Vice President, and Additional Member positions. More information on the AGM and the election process will follow soon. If you have any questions related to this, you are welcome to direct those to our Secretary/Treasurer, Dr Colleta Gandidzanwa (colleta.gandidzanwa@up.ac.za).

I look forward to the AEASA family reunion from the 18th to the 21st of September 2023. In the meantime, let's all channel our inner honey badgers!
Melissa van der Merwe
AEASA President