In 2012, the United Nations noted that 28 of Africa's 54 countries faced serious food security issues.

Its figures showed that in 2010, the continent, with a population of over a billion people, accounted for just 165 million tons of grain, or 6.64 percent of the world's total.

A land of rich pickings

A touch of class for farming

Historically, many have blamed Africa's natural conditions, specifically drought, salty soil and erosion, for its food insecurity, but Mersmann says much deeper economic problems across the vast continent also persist.

The basic issue remains that Africa relies on agriculture as the main pillar of its economy, but margins are still low from its agricultural exports, and countries cannot buy sufficient food in return to feed their own people.

In short, its primary agricultural products, he says, remain at the lowest end of the global value chain. "Currently Africa is exporting coffee beans, fruit and lumber, for instance, to people globally, but its processing profits are being earned in Europe, Japan, America and China," he says.

A 500g pack of Ethiopian coffee beans produced by TO.MO.CA - an abbreviation of the Italian name Torrefazione Moderna Caf - the leading coffee company based in Addis Ababa, costs between 96 and 150 birr ($4.90-$7.65), even in the most expensive international hotel near the conference.

But the price for the same size package of coffee powder is $19.99, plus a shipping fee, on Amazon.com in the United States, or 160 yuan ($25.70) in retail outlets in China.