Livestock feeds in the CGIAR Research Programs

Presented by Alan Duncan at the FAO West Africa Regional Workshop on Crop Residues, Dakar, 10-13 December 2012.

Livestock feeds in the CGIAR Research Programs from ILRI

How To Fix Access Is Deniend Error In Windows XP or Windows 7

The purpose of this guide is to teach you how to get access to files that you’ve been denied access to.



These errors are known to take place due to quite a few reasons. The file or folder you are trying to access is perhaps in use by another user. It may also be in use by the Windows operating system itself. Or, another possibility is that you simply do not fulfill the adequate requirements that are usually owned by the system administrator.


In This Case You Need To Consult With Your Administrator. This error usually takes place because the user trying to access the file or folder in question is someone whose rights given by the administrator are not sufficient to do so. But If You Have Administrator Privillages And Still You Are Getting These Types Of Errors Then definitely something is wrong with your system.

But Don't Worry I Have A Solution :)

You Need To Download And Install Unlocker Software.

now select that files, folder or application from the window and click unlock or Kill Process and then Try Again for opening that Files. In addition to that, you also have the options to either rename, move, copy or delete a file or folder that is locked.

Now Use It Freely n Leave ur Valuable Comments Below n Also Subscribe For Latest Updates In Ur inbox

How To Recover Missing Hardisk Partition Drive

Recently when i have installed window xp but After That when i switch to fresh new window7 then my lappy shows only four drives, then i Thought that how can i get my hide drive of 20 gb.

Before window 7

c drive -----------works perfectly
d drive ----------window xp installed before window 7
e drive-------------
f drive --------------
g drive-------------

After window 7

c drive -----------missing 20 gb
d drive ----------now window 7 = now this drive automatically rename to C
e drive------------- this drive automatically rename to D
f drive -------------- this drive automatically rename to E
g drive-------------  this drive automatically rename to F

But After Spending Some Times I Solved My Problem Myself...

Now Here Is The Solution Just Follow Below Steps :- 

Open Disk management and assign the Drive letter to the missing drive.

• Open Run ( win + R )
• Type "diskmgmt.msc" and hit enter
• In the disk management window select the missing drive.
• Right click the missing drive and select "Change Drive Letter".
• Now click "Add" button.
• Select a Drive letter and click Ok. 

 That's It...

Now Use It Freely n Leave ur Valuable Comments Below n Also Subscribe For Latest Updates In Ur inbox

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By visiting our website and accessing the information, resources, services, products, and tools.we provide for you, either directly or indirectly, you agree to use these Resources only for the purposes intended as permitted by

 (a) the terms of this User Agreement, and 

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How to Disable the Windows 8 Metro User Interface

Hello Friends Today I'll Show You How to Disable Windows8 MetroUser Interface and get the normal Window Start Menu back.

Just Follow Below Simple Steps :-

• Just Start the Windows Registry Editor by starting the Windows Task Manager, Once the Task Manager is open, click on File, then Run, and type regedit and press the OK button. 
• Or Simply Press Winkey+R and Then Type In Type Box RegEdit.
• Now The Windows Registry editor window will open and you should navigate to this key:

hkey_current_user\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\explorer

Under that key you should see a value labeled RPEnabled. Change this value from 1 to 0. You should now have the normal desktop with the normal Windows Start Menu.

To enable the Metro User Inteface, simply reverse the change by setting RPEnabled to 1.

That's It You Are Done

Now Use It Freely n Leave ur Valuable Comments Below n Also Subscribe For Latest Updates In Ur inbox
Enjoy And Stay Connected With pinkusays.blogspot.com

Mts free call talktime 100% free daily

MTS India the CDMA Mobile service of Sistema Shyam TeleServices Ltd (SSTL) with over 16 million customers today introduced great offers for its indian customers.
Its really great offer by mts. In this offer you'll get free talktime by mts. 

You just need to follow below simple steps i.e. 

- Download MTS MAD CALL application in MY MTS menu.
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its 100% free which is working in all states. enjoy it if any doubt then plz leave your comment below 

Thanx for visiting my blog.

Happy Holidays!!!

Well if you're like me, today is your last teaching day of 2012.

I thought I'd post up some art from the hallways of my school.

I found these amazing, patterned Santas in front of the Grade 6 classroom, and knew I needed to share them.  Enjoy!

 

 

Draft on Investing in smallholder agriculture for food and nutrition security

20/010/2012. The Knowledge network on Food Security and Nutrition is launching a new consultation on behalf of the High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS), aimed at gathering inputs on the Version 0 draft (V0 draft) of the report on Investing in smallholder agriculture for food and nutrition security.

This consultation from 20 December 2012 until 18 January 2013 follows the earlier one aimed at defining the scope of the study. The HLPE holds open online consultations to gather informed inputs and to widen the circles from which evidence is made available, including experiences from the ground.

The invitation is also available in French and Spanish and comments are welcome in these languages.

=============================================

Le Groupe d'experts de haut niveau sur la sécurité alimentaire et la nutrition (HLPE) sollicite des vues et contributions sur une version zéro (V0) du rapport. La version V0 présentée a été élaborée par l'équipe de projet du HLPE, sous la direction et la supervision du Comité Directeur, ainsi que sur la base des commentaires reçus dans le cadre de la consultation virtuelle sur la portée de l’étude.

Le HLPE utilisera cette consultation virtuelle pour affiner le rapport qui sera ensuite soumis à révision par des experts externes, avant élaboration de la version finale par l'équipe du projet sous la direction et supervision du Comité directeur.

La version zéro (V0) projet actuel est en cours d'élaboration et devrait se présenter comme une présentation globale, tout en restant succinct et accessible, où seront mis en relief les thèmes et les domaines prioritaires à la lumière des actions que devront mener les différentes parties prenantes du CSA.

Vos contributions peuvent être envoyées en anglais, français et espagnol mais le projet V0 est uniquement disponible en anglais.

Quick and easy wreath

 

 

Here's a super easy and really effective Christmas wreath.

You will need green construction paper in a variety of green colours.

You can die cut them in leaf shapes like I did, but if you don't have access to a die cutter, you can use leaf tracers, or punches, whatever you have around.

Sometimes I get the children to cut holly shaped leaves out of strips of green cardstock.

 

The you can cut a donut shape out of green cardstock.  I used a dinner plate for the outside ring and a smaller ring on the inside.  I also sometimes use a paper plate and cut out the inside.  It doesn't have to be a perfect circle, the whole thing will be covered up with leaves. 

slowly cover the ring with leaves.  Make sure the children layer them and cover up the green 'donut' shape.  Some of my students decided to pattern the leaves as in the ring below.

Add a bow of red ribbon and some Chrismtas foam shapes and voila!

Here are a few of my favourites.

 

Silence for Sandy Hook

As I said yesterday...

I am so sad...

I am so sad . . .

 

I try to be so upbeat in my daily life, especially around my class and my own children.  (That's a photo of my daughter above).  Twenty years ago, I was a student teacher who was desperately trying to establish control over an unruly class, and failing miserably, and my school advisor said to me, “What’s wrong with the sound of children laughing?”  And I stopped, took a breath, and considered what she said.

 

“What’s wrong with the sound of children laughing?”

 

There’s nothing wrong with the sound of children laughing.  Children WANT to laugh.  They WANT to have fun and enjoy life.  They are little people, designed to learn and absorb knowledge, and they want to have FUN while they do this.

 

My personal quote on Teachers Pay Teachers is “There’s nothing more special than the sound of children laughing.”   And I hold this statement close to my heart.

 

When I’m having a terrible day,  when  I’m exhausted and my class is goofing around when I want to teach, I try to take a big  breath and slow down my thinking.  What’s the point of getting all stressed out about something you can’t control?   So the kids are a bit squirrelly today, go with the flow.  Think of the laughter.  As long as the laughter is not mocking, it must be genuine.  It must be worth something.  It must be precious.

 

I am so sad because . . . 

 

Twenty children died yesterday.   

 

In their school

 

In their classroom

 

In the place they feel safe

 

They DIED!

 

Violently!

 

They will never laugh again.

 

I know that there are probably  terrible things happening to children all over the world right now.

And I know that more than 20 children probably died today in other countries, all over the world.

 

But our children are supposed to be safe at school.

 

I remember school massacre in Dunblaine Scotland.  I was a young teacher, with only a few years of experience, and I was teaching kindergarten in a tough, inner-city area in an isolated portable classroom.  And then I heard about the shootings in Dunblane, and I was shocked.   A gunman went into a kindergarten class in Scotland and killed 15 children and their teacher.  That day I sat, whenever I had a free moment, and I watched my students.  Everything in their lives revolved around learning and laughter.  They wanted to have fun, and innately they were driven to learn.  School was a safe haven in their lives.

 

We spend so much time planning, and organizing our classrooms to make them safe places for children.  If you work with needy children, like I sometimes do, then you truly understand that school can be the only organized and happy place that they experience in a day.

 

So when I hear about something like the tragedy yesterday, I need to stop

 

 breathe,

 

and cry.

 

Those children will never laugh again.

 

For a brief period of time, those souls were on this earth.  It was too brief. . .

 

Do you remember your own kindergarten?  

 

When I started teaching kindergarten, I spent a lot of time trying to remember what happened in my own childhood Kindergarten.  Early on in my career I was substituting and got called to my old elementary school, and spent a day in my old Kindergarten classroom.  

 

My first thought was, “wow, it’s so much smaller than I remember.”

 

My second thought was more organic.  It was more of a feeling, than a thought.  I remember being thrown back in time and remembering the room from my 5 year old perspective, and got a warm feeling in my belly.  I felt comfort, and I felt safe.

 

At the school I teach at,  we practice Lockdown drills a few times a year, and during the drill I spend most of the time trying to stop my children from giggling because they just LOVE to laugh.

 

And why shouldn’t they want to laugh?

 

They should feel safe.

 

School should be a safe place.

 

Why do these tragedies happen?

 

And how can we prevent them from happening again, and again, and again?

 

I’ll think about this in the next while, when I hear my students laugh.

I’ll try to remember those who will never laugh again. . .

Agri Flash PIP-COLEACP

13 Decembre 2012. Le bio-contrôle comme alternative aux Produits de Protection des Plantes conventionnels
Suite à de récents essais du PIP en Afrique subsaharienne, plusieurs produits de bio-contrôle se révèlent être des alternatives viables à l'utilisation de Produits de Protection des Plantes conventionnels.

LE COLEACP collabore au projet de micro-jardins de la Ville de Dakar
Un accord de collaboration a été signé en septembre 2012 entre le COLEACP et la Ville de Dakar. Avec le soutien de la FAO, la capitale sénégalaise appuie des projets de micro-jardinage, renforçant ainsi la sécurité alimentaire de la population urbaine.

Vers une meilleure conservation de l'igname en Côte d'Ivoire : un enjeu pour la sécurité alimentaire locale et régionale
La durée de conservation limitée de l'igname pose de nombreux problèmes, tant pour la filière export que pour le marché local.
Le COLEACP a mis en place une mission d'étude avec le CIRAD, afin de cerner les difficultés et d’ identifier des pistes d'amélioration.

Food Security Research in SLU-hosted Symposium in Uganda

Participants of the SLU Africa Food
Security Research Symposium.
Photo: Hotel Metropole.

During 4-6 of December 2012 the SLU Africa Food Security Research Symposium took place in Kampala, Uganda. The symposium, which was hosted by SLU Global, was a result of the 40 milllion SEK that the Swedish government allocated to SLU to support food security. The Ambassador of Sweden in Kampala and representatives from Sida, AGRA, ANAFE, RUFORUM and TEAM-Africa are attended the symposium. Within the UD40, a cluster of research projects is funded over two years (2011-2012).

The symposium in Kampala was an opportunity for participants to share their findings, discuss lessons learned and, particularly, prepare plans for future collaboration in their specialty areas with project partners.

Partnership between research, education and extension is the key in the development of a sustainable African agriculture, reports Arvid Uggla, Director of SLU Global.

Current projects at SLU include research in collaboration with partners in Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, South Africa and Central Asia and cover topics from plant genetics, reproductive health of cattle, to gender perspectives in agriculture and forestry.

 In 2010 the Swedish government, via its Ministry of Foreign Affairs (UD), allocated 40 million SEK to SLU to support food security related research projects in collaboration with partners in Africa and elsewhere. ‘UD40’ is the collective name for the cluster of research projects financed by this allocation which was to be run over two years, 2011 and 2012.

Chatham House Food Security 2012 Sustainable Intensification

10-11 December 2012. London, UK. This conference examined the potential of technologies – old, new and pipeline – to deliver sustainable intensification in agriculture.
Is a resilient global agricultural system achievable?

• Is technology crucial to delivering increased agriculture outputs in tandem with environmental objectives?
• Is the current regulation evidence-based or driven by the public’s perception of risk?

Business leaders, policy makers, opinion formers and civil society representatives teased out the implications of the technological approach to sustainable intensification of food production, including the need for regulatory systems to adopt evidence based policies on risks and benefits to ensure resilient production.

Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) President Jane Karuku called for a continued global push for increased smart investments in Africa's agriculture, both by governments and the private sector. After speaking at the Chatham House Food Security 2012 Sustainable Intensification: Miracle or Mirage conference, Nwanze and Karuku addressed a group of international media in London emphasizing that farming is a business and the private sector must fuel the development of Africa's agribusiness in upgrading smallholder agriculture to meet demand from foreign and emerging markets in developing countries.

Food Security: Priorities for Action - Catherine Woteki of USDA

Support to Agricultural Research for Development of Strategic Crops in Africa

10 December 2012. The African Development Bank (AfDB) and researchers have launched the US$63.24 million AfDB-funded initiative aimed to raise agricultural productivity.

The 5-year, multi-CGIAR center initiative known as “Support to Agricultural Research for Development of Strategic Crops in Africa” (SARD-SC) is a research, science, and technology development initiative aimed at enhancing the productivity and income derived from cassava, maize, rice, and wheat – four of the six commodities that African Heads of States, through the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program, have defined as strategic crops for Africa.

The project, which will run until 2016, will be co-implemented by three Africa-based CGIAR centers: IITA, Africa Rice Center, and the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas. IITA is also the Executing Agency of the project.

During the launch of the initiative in Ibadan, Nigeria, the Director General of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Dr Nteranya Sanginga called on researchers to deliver ‘quick impact’ to justify the investments in research.

“We should begin to demonstrate impact in the next two years using available technologies already developed. Everything in SARD-SC is about impact and not only writing scientific papers,” Dr Sanginga said.

DFID, IDRC Introduce Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia at COP 18

2 December 2012. Doha, Qatar. In partnership with the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), Canada’s International Development Research Center (IDRC) hosted a parallel event to the 18th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 18) to the UNFCCC that introduced the new Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA).

Isabelle Proulx, CARIAA Team

Through interactive sessions, facilitated by Alexander Alusa, Climate Change Advisor to the Prime Minister of Kenya, participants discussed the CARIAA model and its approach and application, in anticipation of CARIAA’s open call for consortia to be launched in early 2013.

CARIAA is a US$70 million programme, initiated by DFID and IDRC, that will run from 2012 to 2019. It aims to increase the resilience of vulnerable populations and their livelihoods, in one of the following climate change “hot spots” in Africa and Asia: densely populated river basins, large deltas, and semi-arid regions. The experience and lessons learned through the Climate Change Adaptation in Africa programme (2006-2012), DFID’s and IDRC’s earlier joint climate change effort, have provided insight and guidance for CARIAA’s mission.

During the event in Doha, Qatar, Isabelle Proulx, CARIAA Team, introduced the programme, highlighting that the target areas, large deltas, glacier-fed river basins and semi-arid zones, have been chosen because of their vulnerabilities to climate change. She noted that CARIAA’s strategy is to create knowledge and put it in the hands of the people that are affected by climate change. Proulx noted that three interdisciplinary consortia, which will have up to five members, would be funded and expected to draw from a large base of institutions, and to engage communities. She underlined that the expectations are that the funded projects will promote research uptake and generate new knowledge.

[CARIAA website]

UNEP Launches the Africa Adaptation Knowledge Network

6 December 2012: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has launched the Africa Adaptation Knowledge Network (AAKNet), which will provide a platform to share knowledge, research and information on initiatives, as well as catalyze partnerships for climate change adaptation.

The network builds on efforts to mobilize knowledge and provide solutions to mitigate the impact of climate change on livelihoods in Africa. Specifically, AAKNet will: conduct workshops to provide advice and share knowledge on climate change adaptation to local communities; build partnerships to support climate change responses; share best practices and lessons learned from numerous initiatives across the continent; and aggregate knowledge to address climate risks.

AAKNet will share information and aid in building a community of practice to aid in planning processes on the continent and scale-up successful initiatives to adapt to climate change. [UN Press Release] [Africa Adaptation Knowledge Network Website]

Business Support Services in the rice value chain

12 December 2012. This is an animated version of the Rising Rice film (part of the film United through markets)... mapping the value chain and Agribusiness clusters, and dealing with the role of the Business Support Services (BSS) as brokers of innovation and change within the competitive playing fields. Featuring the agribusiness cluster of parboiled rice in Bolgatanga

animated rice clip_fn - Broadband door moovon

Extensive Livestock Research Multi-Stakeholder Research Question Development Workshop

10th – 12th December 2012. Nairobi. LINKING RESEARCH TO APPLICATION WITHIN THE EXTENSIVE LIVESTOCK VALUE CHAIN.

EAFF together with its consortium partners in the PAEPARD program is organizing a continental multi stakeholder research question development workshop around the federating theme “Extensive livestock value chain” to:

1. Validate the federating theme of the Extensive value chain , the desk review and the document of strategy produced; 
2. Identify and/or refine research questions for the development of the livestock that were identified during the study that was conducted. 
3. Identify potential partnerships that can be formed to address gaps identified in the extensive livestock value chain 
4. Identify the Terms of Reference for platform and core group to take up the research question that is proritized forward 

The participants for this workshop include PAEPARD partners, national, regional stakeholders working in Farmer organizations, private sector, government, consumer organizations, research institutions, Universities, and farmers all interested in the extensive livestock value chain within eastern Africa region.

Participants came from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Zambia, France and the UK and represented research, education, farmers organizations, non-government organizations, national governments, agricultural extension and advisory services, the private sector and regional economic communities. The discussions were guided by a new Eastern Africa Livestock strategy commissioned by EAFF, and carried out by the Agency for Inter-regional Development, as an input to its strategic plan for 2012-2020.

In his opening remarks at the workshop Mr Philip Macharia Kiriro, President of EAFF, explained that a key pillar of the plan is “…trade and agribusiness with a special focus on value chain development and economic services to EAFF members…”. He indicated that EAFF’s livestock focus will be on the extensive beef value chain and that regional collaboration is need to ensure both productivity gains and improved market access.

One of the main tasks of workshop participants was to validate EAFF’s livestock strategy and to prioritize proposed areas for intervention at three stages along the value chain; namely, production, processing and marketing.

Afid presentation eaff research stakeholder wkshop121212

The group looking at production identified the need to improve the availability and quality of feed and water and to prevent and control pests and diseases as the two most important research issues. Improving food safety and quality standards and developing and promoting value addition technologies emerged as the key research issues for processing.

Finally, enhancing product standards and policies for improved market access and improving access to, and utilization of, market information were the priorities for research related to marketing. A core group of seven persons has been given the responsibility to draft a concept note and to identify additional organizations which might contribute to a new research initiative. Potential opportunities for funding have been identified and further work is being done to promote the initiative and secure additional support.

The full report LINKING RESEARCH TO APPLICATION WITHIN THE EXTENSIVE LIVESTOCK VALUE CHAIN can be downloaded here



The report of the meeting in English can be downloaded here

The report of the meeting in French can be downloaded here

Background:
PAEPARD partners shifted to a new user led brokerage procedure which is giving the lead to the “research users” partners (especially FOs but also the private sector) in the organization of brokerage activities in particular the organization of “brokerage workshops” around a federating theme that they have themselves chosen.

With this in mind EAFF through collaborative approaches and consultation within Eastern Africa stakeholders identified a federating theme to focus on Extensive livestock value chains. In May 2012, the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF) contracted the Agency for Inter-regional Development (AFID) to carry out a consultancy study to develop a Livestock Strategy for Eastern Africa. The focus of the strategy was given as “Extensive Livestock Systems” predominant in the dry areas of Eastern Africa. Major species involved were cattle, small ruminants (sheep and goat) and camels. Poultry and pig rearing in the target production systems which involve agro-pastoral and pastoral systems were also to be captured. The objective of this approach is to

• a) Reinforce the existing dynamics at national/regional level, 
• b) Improving existing partnerships between FO, research and others stakeholders (improvements in terms of partnerships design of diversity of stakeholders involved etc, and Deepen pending questions and potential solutions

Related PAEPARD blog post:

PAEPARD users' led process: Eastern Africa Livestock

Video interview with Dr. Jean Ndikumana who explains the objectives of the study: EAFF - Post handling of Extensive Livestock value chains in Eastern Africa with Specific Focus on Kenya and Uganda. 

He was interviewed during the EAC-Europe Food Security Thematic Policy Dialogue Workshop, 25th to 26th, October, 2012, Arusha, Tanzania.

He responds to following questions:

• How important is it to identify gaps in research which benefits pastoralism?
• How difficult is it to identify research gaps?
• Do farmers or pastoralists have the capacity to translate a problem into a research question?
• Was such consultation difficult?
• Which gaps did you identify?
• What is the way forward?
• Which is the most important recommendation?
• You recommend a multi sectorial approach?

Related:

Monday 14 January 2013. News from Africa Africa: Agricultural Researchers Call for Scaling up of Extensive Livestock Production

South African programme for farm animal breeding and reproduction technology

7 December 2012. Brussels. The South African Mission to the European Union organised a lunch info session for a presentation by Mrs Ravini Moodley, Agri-Biotech Sector Portfolio Manager at Technology Innovation Agency, about the South African programmes for agriculture and biotechnology innovation, especially for farm animal breeding and reproduction technology.

Mrs Ravini Moodley is a Small Enterprise Development Researcher with the Technology Innovation Agency in Pretoria, South Africa.The Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) was established in 2008.

TIA’s core business objective is to support the development and commercialisation of competitive technology-based services and products. The Agency primarily uses South Africa’s science and technology base to develop new industries, create sustainable jobs and help diversify the economy. It invests in the following technology sectors: Advanced Manufacturing, Agriculture, Industrial Biotechnology, Health, Mining, Energy and ICT.

TIA was formed through merging seven DST entities previously tasked with supporting and promoting innovation in the country. These entities included the Innovation Fund, Tshumisano Trust, Cape Biotech Trust, PlantBio Trust, LIFElab, BioPAD Trust, and the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Strategy (AMTS).

In a bid to revitalise the animal vaccine development and manufacturing in South Africa, which is crippled by insufficient funding and the lack of co-ordination between agricultural research institutions, the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) established the Tshwane Animal Health Cluster to improve services for livestock farming and agribusiness.

The initiative is a result of the outcry by livestock farmers and the value chain industry in South Africa that has been crippled by the country’s failure to prevent the spread of viral outbreaks that have lost the country billions of rands following the suspension of trade in sectors, such as beef, due to foot and mouth diseases, and ostrich meat, hides and feathers due to avian flu.

2nd Annual Conference on Biopesticides

5 - 6 December 2012. Berlin. Informa Life Sciences' 2nd Annual Conference on Biopesticides. The Informa Life Sciences Annual Biopesticide conference is a two-day event with more than 100 industry attendees ranging from small and medium-sized biopesticide companies to large multinational agrochemical organizations including Monsanto, Becker Underwood, Syngenta and more. The event delivered a comprehensive review of the biopesticide industry, including the diverse regulatory environment through the eyes of various European agencies.

Objectives:

• Gain a global update on biopesticides with speakers from USA & Europe 
• Keynote sessions from 5 Regulators and The European Commission
• speed networking and interactive panel sessions
• real-life case studies on market access, product registration from those who have gone through the process

A Pre Conferenece Workshop was organised on 4 December 2012: A Masterclass on Biopesticide:

• An introduction to biopesticides
• Definining biopesticides and the complexities that surround such a definition
• Background information relating to topics that will be discussed throughout the two day event

MBI CEO Pam Marrone opened the conference with “A Critical Analysis of the Biopesticides Industry,” including her perspective on the state of the industry, the advantages and disadvantages of biopesticides, current challenges facing the industry and the future outlook. Additionally, Marrone examined the biopesticide discovery process targeting nematicides and herbicides

“Over the last decade, the use of biopesticides has increased significantly due in no small part to improved performance and safety, reduced residues and shorter and less costly development process,” said Marrone. “Though the industry continues to face regulatory challenges for registration worldwide, biopesticides are increasingly becoming an important part of overall pest management programs as their performance matches that of chemical pesticides. This is leading to current expectations that biopesticides will significantly outpace the growth of chemical pesticides in the next few years to reach $3 billion by 2014”.

Pam Marrone is the CEO and founder of Marrone Bio Innovations , a leading developer of environmentally-responsible biopesticides. When compared with conventional chemicals and pesticides, the natural products developed at MBI result in healthier plants and a safer environment. In bringing natural alternatives to market for organic and conventional growers, Pam has built a successful business model within a growing industry -- all while helping to make our food safer and reduce pollution in our water and air that can put workers and consumers at risk.

 

Slash and burn agriculture in DRC

4 Decembre 2012, Bruxelles. WWF et la Cooperation Technique Belge ont organise une rencontre entre chercheurs, opérateurs publics, ONG, bailleurs, afin de discuter les méthodes de travail et connaissances en matière d’impact de l’agriculture sur brûlis sur les forêts congolaises.

Dans les zones forestières, l’agriculture sur brûlis est l’agriculture paysanne par excellence en République Démocratique du Congo. Méthode d’agriculture particulièrement appropriée pour l’approvisionnement alimentaire des populations et capable de répondre aux besoins humains tout en ayant peu d’impact sur la conservation, il apparait que ce mode d’agriculture est devenu, sous l’effet de la pression démographique, une des principales causes de déforestation.

Plus précisément, les objectifs du séminaire etaient de :

1. Renforcer la collaboration entre les ONG de terrain, la coopération bilatérale et les chercheurs
2. Analyser les freins et leviers permettant de développer en périphérie des aires protégées et/ou des forêts une agriculture assurant conservation et sécurité alimentaire
3. Identifier les déficits de connaissances scientifiques et les synergies possibles sur ces matières entre ONG et scientifiques
4. Fournir des recommandations d’actions qui, à court, moyen ou long terme, devraient permettre aux différents participants d’améliorer leur travail de développement ou de recherche agricole pour la prise en compte des interrelations entre agriculture et conservation des forêts

PAERIP workshop and CAAST-Net stakeholder conference

3-4 December, 2012 in Accra, Ghana. Science and Technology Policy Research Institute of the Ghanaian Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. The PAERIP and CAAST-Net projects organised a joint Africa-Europe stakeholder conference on the roles played by research infrastructures in advancing and facilitating bi-regional cooperation in scientific and technological research and innovation.

Drawing on the experience and expertise of stakeholders from African and European research, civil society and science policy communities, the event examined key aspects of the contributions of Research Infrastructures (RI) to addressing mutual scientific research priorities, and consider approaches to lowering the barriers to RI access and sharing for enhanced bi-regional cooperation.

Post Card from Santa Freebie

 I'm super excited to share this new creation of mine with you.  After having so much success with my Falling Leaves little books, I have decided to start a new series called SUCCESS AT THEIR OWN LEVEL.  It's my approach to differentiated learning. 

 

This is a letter to Santa activity which is good for children of many levels of development from K to 2.  I've broken it up into 3 levels.  The beginning level is good for Kindergarten, Level 2 for grade one, and level 3 for grade 2.  But of course we always have those struggling readers who need a bit of extra support and those more advanced readers who could use an extra challenge. This program would allow a primary class to all write a post card to Santa at their own ability level. 

 

If you'd like your own copy, hop on over to my Teachers Pay Teachers store, or click on the link below to get your own copy.  Remember that I love feedback and would love to hear from you.

 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

 

 

 

 

And after all of that, I have finally found the time to link up with Farley's Currently over at Oh Boy 4th grade.  Click here to check out the other links.  Don't get me started on how C-R-A-Z-Y this week will be for me.  I'll fill you all in later. 

 

Thanks for stopping by.

Finance for the Farmer around climate change

6 December 2012. Funding is always a prominent topic of discussion, and often a sensitive issue at such international gatherings as the UNFCCC COP18. Commitments made by member countries usually have some financial strings attached, and the question is largely ‘who will pay, how much, and for what?’ At Agriculture, Landscapes, and Livelihoods Day (ALL) the issue surfaced continuously over the course of the day – more money for technology transfer; more for neglected areas of research (climate impacts on pollination, pests, and disease); more for farmers. To manage overlapping objectives related to food security and nutrition, development, environment, and climate, there was undeniable agreement that increased and more efficient funding is necessary.

One Roundtable session at ALL Day honed in specifically on questions related to finance opportunities for smallholder farmers. This panel of private, government, and civil society experts attempted to cover all the bases, while still pulling from concrete case studies. The challenges identified by the panelists were telling about the key criteria for more integrated finance mechanisms.

CARE International Phil Franks (CARE International), in describing a smallholder carbon project in Kenya, noted how the value of the actual carbon revenue to each individual farmer is rather insignificant and the requirements to earn credits don’t allow for the level of flexibility farmers need to adapt. Initially touted as an innovative means to bring climate finance to farmers, smallholder carbon projects do in fact have benefits but largely in terms of soil fertility, water management, and productivity. For smallholder farmers, the dispersed nature of their holdings also makes it difficult to access carbon finance or insurance, due to high transaction costs.

Second from right: Matthew Wyatt (DFID)

Separation of adaptation and mitigation is one of the themes reiterated throughout the day, and a characteristic of the funding mechanisms within the UNFCCC. This split hinders implementing more integrated approaches to climate-smart land management. On the panel, Matthew Wyatt (DFID) noted  ow we need to get beyond this separation, because in agriculture the two go hand-in-hand. And yet funding, too, reflects this separation. Moreover, funding streams for climate change and agriculture and rural development also operate in their respective silos. One attempt to cross this divide, IFAD’s Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme (ASAP), is trying to blending climate and agriculture ‘know-how’ in financing resilient development for smallholders.

Lou Munden

So what does all this mean when we take a landscape perspective? Panelists were generally of one mind, emphasizing that operating on a landscape scale allows for more carbon storage while also increasing adaptive capacity. Lou Munden (Munden Project), representing the private sector on the panel, argued that “we need to stop thinking about how to make this fit old models and start thinking about new ones.” His company takes this to heart, focusing on investing in a diverse portfolio of activities within the landscape to manage risk.

Judi Wakhungu

At the end of the day, though, the institutional structures in place are what will allow for better integration and efficiency for funding climate-smart landscapes. For example, in the opening panel of ALL Day, Judi Wakhungu (African Centre for Technological Studies) noted the restructuring of the Kenyan government and a proposal to integrate agriculture, environment, and climate change in one ministry.

A move such as this may help streamline funding for agricultural development that achieves multiple objectives and benefits to smallholders. As several panelists noted, public sector funding is crucial for covering the high upfront costs and reducing risks, which will in turn entice more private sector funding.

Related:
DOHA, Qatar December 6, 2012/ -- A new report by the African Development Bank, in collaboration with Vivid Economics, makes concrete proposals that will facilitate access by African countries to the Green Climate Fund.

Launched in Doha on the sidelines of the UN climate change conference (COP18), the “Getting Africa Ready for the Green Climate Fund” report makes a series of recommendations for the Green Climate Fund board and African nations that will increase the likelihood that African countries, with the support of the African Development Bank, will be able to access increased flows of climate finance from this source.

Doha: Agriculture, Landscapes and Livelihoods Day 5

3 December 2012. Doha, Qatar. “No agriculture, no deal” was the mantra coming out the fifth Agriculture, Landscapes, and Livelihoods (ALL, formerly Agriculture and Rural Development) Day on Monday. Yet it appears as though the Subsidiary Body on Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) will not make any sort of recommendation regarding agriculture to the UNFCCC at COP18, due to difficulties in reaching consensus. And while according to Mahmoud Sohl (ICARDA), one of the speakers on the high level panel at ALL Day, “if they don’t put agriculture on the agenda, then they are not serious” about dealing with climate change, clearly participants at this year’s ALL Day felt strongly that agriculture needed to be part of the solution to climate change.

However, ALL Day also demonstrated that agriculture poses a unique challenge; there is such a diversity of interests, priorities, and stakeholders that underlie a more general agreement around issues and urgency. Whereas some like Sohl stressed a need for research into technology and sustainable intensification, others placed emphasis on institutions to strengthen gender considerations and integration of adaptation and mitigation.

African negotiators are concerned about the lack of 

trust at the Doha climate change talks. 

(Source: Flickr/UNFCCC)

A High-Level Panel that kick-started ALL Day reflected this diversity, composed of representatives in farming, research, and policy. But the session was not all about talking heads, as Dr. Lindiwe Majele Sibanda (CEO, FANRPAN) called 0n the audience for feedback and questions. Through the farmers who voiced their concerns and opinions, it became increasingly apparent that these stakeholders felt as though their experiences and hurdles with climate change were not being heard in high-level policy.

The challenge for the agriculture community within UNFCCC processes is to find a unifying voice. As Dr. Sibanda said during the opening panel, “let’s all speak with one voice – it’s all about the food.” And regardless of whether or not something comes to fruition at COP18 or beyond, the message is clear that all of these different voices – particularly those without much access – need to come to the table to deal with climate change in a context-specific and meaningful manner.

Swaziland’s Dr Emmanuel Dlamini, Director of Meteorology, said there was a mismatch between what some richer nations had promised and what they were prepared to put on the table in Doha.

Many developed parties, including Norway, Japan and the EU, have met or exceeded their targets for FSF, which promised a total of $30bn from 2010-2012. The EU insists that there is money budgeted for support to continue and RTCC understands that the US also intends to maintain its climate finance at current levels.

However, African countries would prefer to see more concrete pledges.

“They are saying ‘we’ll continue with FSF, there’ll be no cliff, well keep providing funds’, so it’s difficult when we ask for a [formal] decision and they say they are just giving assurances. So you start saying are we negotiating in good faith?”
“The negotiations greatest challenge is building trust. To a certain extent, the trust that is there, if it is there [at all], is not sufficient enough to make us agree to make a successful outcome. When there is no trust among people then the good faith is damaged,” added Dlamini.

EU negotiator Artur Runge-Metzger insists the bloc will continue to provide climate finance beyond 2012

Related:
With the climate talks in Doha in their second week, Kenya like many African countries is pessimistic that any concrete decisions will be reached at the ongoing negotiations. However Kenya says it is willing to continue working with other African countries to fight for the continent's concerns even as the negotiations time the last lap. NTV's Loise Wangui reports on the talks.

IFDC 2013 International Training Calendar

IFDC has held over 700 formal workshops, study tours and training programs for more than 10,000 participants from 150 countries since 1974. The programs have covered a wide range of subjects including integrated soil fertility management, fertilizer use efficiency, fertilizer production technology, agro-input dealerships, competitive marketing, supply chain management, investment analysis, policy reforms and numerous specialized topics.

Please visit the IFDC ebsite for additional information, updates and registration forms for the IFDC 2013 Training Program Calendar. 

1. Developing Private Sector Agro-Input Markets: Designing and Implementing Targeted Input Subsidies April 8-12, 2013 Nairobi, Kenya $1,300 
2. Fertilizer Policy & Marketing Strategies in Africa ; May 20-24, 2013 Arusha, Tanzania $1,300 
3. Linking Farmers to Markets in Africa ; July 1-5, 2013 Nairobi, Kenya $1,300 
4. Developing and Managing Profitable Agro-Input Business Through Sustainable Value Chains ; ovember 4-8, 2013 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso $1,300 

IFDC reserves the right to cancel any program or change the dates and/or venue of any program without liability for compensation.For the PDF printable version of our calendar, please click here.