Appreciation of CIRAD on the PAEPARD users led process

11 January 2013. Yaoundé, Cameroon. During the PAEPARD communication workshop, Patrice Grimaud - Regional Director if CIRAD for Central Africa Yaounde, Cameroon - was interviewed about his participation to the PAEPARD workshop of 10th – 12th December 2012. Nairobi. LINKING RESEARCH TO APPLICATION WITHIN THE EXTENSIVE LIVESTOCK VALUE CHAIN.

The general principle of the users led brokerage procedure is giving the lead to “research users” partners (especially FO) in the organization of brokerage activities, in particular the organization of “brokerage workshops” around a federating theme that they have themselves chosen.

Patrice Grimaud answered following questions:

1. What is your appreciation of the EAFF report on Pastoralism: Post handling of Extensive Livestock value chains in Eastern Africa with Specific Focus on Kenya and Uganda?
2. What is the advantage of a Farmer Organisation taking the lead?
3. Do you find the PAEPARD approach innovative?

Transcript/ tranlation:

1. The report is well argued,  detailed and complete. The choice of Jean Ndikumana was pertinent. In my former responsabilities in Uganda I already met Dr. Ndikumana several times at ILRI. Now that he is working at ASARECA on livestock. He certainly was the best choice for making this prelimenary report, which earmarks the activities and  priorities in livestock development. 
2. I'm convinced that a well established and legitimate farmer organisation such a EAFF with a strong institutional basis and policy making capacity in the sub region that they are one of the best intermediaries to link needs to research questions as aimed by PAEPARD.
3. It is certainly innovative and unusual for the type of projects funded by the European Commission. I see the weight in Cameroon of the EC in forest management and the production of banana plantain and those approaches are totally different. This approach through a farmer organisation is certainly innovative and I hope FO will be able to give a follow upon the projects developed by PAEPARD.