UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, MECHANISATION & WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT
PROUDLY PRESENTS
GRAIN N GLOW
EVENT
Zimbabwe's Value Addition Platform for Commercial Staples, Small Grains & Botanical Ingredients
Conference • Exhibition • Networking • B2B Matching
Event Date:
15th & 16th October 2026
Thursday & Friday
Venue: Women's University in Africa, 549 Arcturus Road, Manresa Park, Harare, Zimbabwe
ABOUT GRAIN N GLOW
Grain N Glow is a pioneering two-day conference and exhibition uniting global agri-commodities with the growing cosmetics and bioeconomy sectors. Held in Harare, it brings together farmers, commodity traders, cosmetic manufacturers, biotech innovators, investors and trade bodies under one roof - a centralized platform to secure large-scale supply chains, discover value-added products and deploy strategic capital.
COMMERCIAL STAPLES ENGINE
CLIMATE-RESILIENT HORIZON
BIOECONOMY INTEGRATION
Initiative by
About Sorghum United Foundation
The Sorghum United Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming food systems through the advancement of sorghum, millets, and other climate-resilient small grains. Operating across dozens of countries, the foundation works to strengthen agricultural communities, bolster food security, and expand the sustainable bioeconomy.
EVENT SCHEDULE
DAY 1 - THURSDAY, 15 OCTOBER
Macro policy, global commodity trade and finance
08:30 - 09:30
Registration and networking
MORNING
Grand opening ceremony, keynote address and launch of the National Trade Architecture
SESSION I
Zimbabwe's macro strategy: securing commercial food pipelines and value chains
SESSION II
Global grain trade dynamics: maize, wheat, soybeans and the expansion of commodity exchanges
SESSION III
Trade finance, logistics and cross-border customs under the AfCFTA framework
HIGH-LEVEL PANEL
Grain Meets Glow: driving high-volume sourcing into premium corporate processing networks
DAY 2 - FRIDAY, 16 OCTOBER
Processing innovatio, quality standards and business matching
SESSION IV
Agritech innovation: AI, precision farming and blockchain traceability
SESSION V
Processing infrastructure: industrial milling, soybean crushing and storage systems
SESSION VI
Regulatory compliance: harmonizing standards, organic certification and export quality controls
SESSION VII
Inclusive sourcing: structuring outgrower schemes and contract farming
CLOSING
Presentation of the Grain n Glow Communiqué and declaration of commercial commitments
FOCUS ON CROPS THAT MOVE THE REGION
01
WHITE & YELLOW MAIZE
Zimbabwe's primary staple grain. Key for food security, animal feed, and starch-based industrial products.
02
WHEAT & RICE
Essential commercial staples driving milling, baking, and food processing industries across the region.
03
SOYBEANS
Critical oilseed for protein meal, cooking oil, and increasingly for cosmetic-grade lecithin and extracts.
04
SORGHUM & MILLET
Climate-smart small grains with growing demand for gluten-free foods, beverages, and bioactive compounds.
05
BARLEY & OATS
Key inputs for malting, brewing, and oat beta-glucan extraction for skincare formulations.
06
BOTANICAL EXTRACTS
Baobab, marula, moringa, sesame, wheat germ oil, and rice bran for natural cosmetics and bioactives.
GRAIN N GLOW ECOSYSTEM
1
Commodity Trade & Market Development
2
Food Innovation & Value Addition
3
Industrial Bioeconomy
4
Science, Agritech & Tech Infrastructure
5
Capital Mobilisation & Investment
6
Inclusive Enterprise Incubation
7
Sustainability & ESG Sourcing
8
Policy, Standards & AFCFTA Integration
Commodity Traders & Brokers
Global and regional trade desks securing physical volumes and forward positions.
Cosmetic Chemists & Formulators
Sourcing high-purity botanical oils, grain starches and natural actives.
Financiers & Impact Investors
Banks, PE, VC and DFIs deploying trade, green and agritech capital.
Academia & Researchers
Innovators presenting genetics, extraction science and bioeconomy technology.
Corporate Processors & Millers
Large-scale buyers of maize, wheat, soybeans and rice for food and feed lines.
Government & Trade Regulators
Policymakers on grain reserves, export certification and customs clearance.
Cooperatives & Estate Managers
Farming unions, outgrower networks and aggregation hubs seeking contract markets.
Women & Youth Enterprises
High-growth startups and value-added consumer brands entering retail.
COMMODITY EXCHANGES & TRADING BOARDS
Connect, list and clear large-scale agricultural positions directly within formalized financial and commodity structures.
Zimbabwe Mercantile Exchange (ZMX)
-
Spot market liquidity in white maize, wheat and soybeans with real-time data and electronic clearance
-
Electronic Warehouse Receipt System unlocking commodity financing with tier-one banks
-
Forward supply contracts for incoming seasonal harvests
Regional Exchanges & International Boards
-
Cross-border liquidity flows and regional grain pricing arbitrage
-
AfCFTA arbitrage channels through pre-cleared regulatory mechanisms
-
Hedging and risk management against weather and price volatility
National Grain & Regulatory Boards
-
Institutional grain clearing with marketing boards and trade ministries
-
Phytosanitary and grading alignment with verification inspectors
-
Uniform grading certificates for regional export market entry
EVENT PARTNERS
Organised by
