Register to attend this online stakeholders’ symposium
Date: Saturday August 1st 2026
Palm oil is one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s most valued food commodities, sustaining millions of livelihoods and serving as a staple in homes across the continent. Yet the persistent challenge of adulteration continues to threaten consumer health, erode public confidence, compromise fair trade, and undermine the integrity of the palm oil value chain. Despite growing concern, evidence remains fragmented across countries, making it difficult to understand the true scale of the problem or develop coordinated, evidence-based solutions. This AfREN symposium, “The Conundrum of Palm Oil Adulteration in Sub-Saharan Africa: Digital Tools to the Rescue,” will bring together leading experts to examine the prevalence of adulteration, associated health risks, current detection methods, regulatory responses, and the transformative role of emerging digital technologies in safeguarding one of Africa’s most important food products.
More than a scientific discussion, this symposium marks the beginning of a Pan-African collaborative effort to generate the evidence needed to drive meaningful change. Participants will engage in an interactive dialogue with experts from academia, government, industry, and civil society while contributing insights that will inform an AfREN-led systematic review on palm oil adulteration across Sub-Saharan Africa. We warmly invite food scientists, analytical chemists, public health professionals, regulators, quality assurance practitioners, processors, traders, consumer advocates, policymakers, development partners, technology innovators, and members of the public with relevant lived or professional experience to join this important initiative. Whether you contribute as a researcher, key informant, data provider, value chain actor, or stakeholder with practical knowledge, your perspective is essential to building the most comprehensive body of evidence on this critical issue.
Together, we can transform scattered information into actionable knowledge that strengthens food safety, informs policy, inspires innovation, and protects millions of consumers. Join us in building a continental coalition committed to exposing food fraud, empowering honest producers and traders, advancing digital solutions, and ensuring that those who endanger public health through palm oil adulteration have no place in Africa’s food system. Your voice, your experience, and your expertise can help shape the evidence that saves lives and secures a safer future for generations to come.
Register to attend this stakeholders’ symposium
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