Preliminary Announcement Final Conference for the ERA-ARD II project

5th June 2013. Egmont Palace, Petit Sablon 8, Brussels, Belgium. Brussels. International Conference – Preliminary Announcement. Better linkages between Agricultural Research and Development for greater impact on Global Challenges.

In recent years, significant progress has been made in improving European coordination of Agricultural Research for Development through ERA-ARD, an EC funded project addressing national programmes for Agricultural Research for Development (ARD) in Europe, as well as EIARD (European Initiative for Agricultural Research for Development) targeting European support to global ARD initiatives like the CGIAR and SCAR (Standing Committee on Agricultural Research) targeting research programmes addressing primarily European concerns. 

Future coordination interventions are expected to focus on improved alignment of research and development policies, programmes and instruments both within Europe and between Europe and the South. This conference will bring together policy-makers, donors, programme managers, scientists, the private sector and other stakeholders from Europe and regions of the world concerned with the fields of agriculture, research and international cooperation.

Conference Objectives
This international conference will have a forward looking perspective building on achievements and existing mechanisms to identify concrete ways to improve coordination of agricultural research for development efforts in Europe, emphasising improved synergies between national and bilateral programmes, strengthened linkages between AR and ARD and stronger alignment between national and European programmes with global initiatives in order to address global challenges and to maximise the impact of European investments in AR and ARD, at national, continental and global level.

The outputs of the conference will include proposals for renewed linkages between European AR and ARD, further alignment between member state policies and instruments for a specific dialogue within Europe and between Europe and other regions of world.
Programme Topics

The programme is beginning to take shape, and will include elements of the following:

• The role of Europe in implementing the GCARD Road Map and addressing Global Challenges 
• Looking forward with lessons learnt and results from ERA-ARD 
• European Partnership with the South, including the South’s vision of collaboration with Europe 
• Linkages between agricultural research and research for development in Europe 
• The European ARD coordination set-up: possibilities for the future 

Dialogue on Reimagining Agricultural Research

29-31 January 2013. Penang. Malaysia. The 2013 Dialogue on Reimagining Agricultural Research in Development brings together leaders in agricultural research and development policy and practice to address these questions. By doing so at the start of the new CRPs working on agricultural systems the Dialogue is designed to guide their implementation so as to increase both the intensity and scale of their impact on the poor.

Objectives

• Provide the CRPs with an opportunity to learn from, and build upon, previous experience with integrated approaches to agricultural research and development
• Identify how these research programs can foster innovation to improve on these approaches, improve livelihoods in the communities where they work, and achieve significant impacts at the scale of agricultural landscapes

Outputs

• Guidance on innovative approaches to be taken forward through the CRPs
• A community of practice will work together to address these issues as the CRPs proceed
• A refereed publication bringing together learning from the Dialogue

The following resources have been shared by dialogue participants and offered as a beginning of the conversation to re-imagine agricultural research in development. Here is an overview of the most relevant documents related to IAR4D:

• Organizational Change for Learning and Innovation Shared by Andy Hall 
• Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D) Shared by Andy Hall 
• Building an Agricultural Research for Development System in Africa Shared by Andy Hall 
• Conceptual & methodological developness in innovation Shared by Ann Waters-Bayer 
• FPIC and beyond: safeguards for power- equalising research that protects biodiversity, rights and culture Shared by Ann Waters-Bayer 
• The Potential of Transdisciplinarity Shared by Ann Waters-Bayer
• Agriculture for development: New paradigm and options for success Shared by John Lynam 
• Recent Advances in Impact Analysis Methods for Ex-post Impact Assessments of Agricultural Technology Shared by John Lynam 
• An innovation systems approach to institutional change: Smallholder development in West Africa Shared by John Daane 
• Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D) A Concept Paper for the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) Sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Programme (SSA CP) Shared by John Daane 
• Making a difference: M&E of policy research Shared by Lindiwe Sibanda
• POLICY RESEARCH AND AFRICAN AGRICULTURE: TIME FOR A DOSE OF REALITY? Shared by Lindiwe Sibanda
• Beyond Participation: Boundary Organizations as a New Space for Farmers and Scientists to Interact Shared by Neil Andrew
• How Innovative Is Your Agriculture? Using Innovation Indicators and Benchmarks to Strengthen National Agricultural Innovation Shared by Rachel Sauvinet-Bedouin

12th International Plant Virus Epidemiology (IPVE) symposium

A group photo of participants at the 12th IPVE Symposium

January 28 to February 1, 2013. The 12th symposium focuses on emergence, epidemiology and control of native and new encounter virus diseases to reflect on prevailing situation of virus diseases in the Africa and around the world that are not only ravaging the crop production, but also affecting the international exchange of germplasm and commerce. 

The symposium provides a forum for exchange of latest knowledge and technologies to control virus diseases and pave way for an African and global strategy to combat emerging and reemerging plant virus diseases.

This symposium focuses on links between changes in virus evolution and ecology, and its impact on virus emergence and virus disease control. 

The scientific program built around these themes deals with the changing phases of plant virus epidemiology, climate change effects on plant viruses, modeling to predict virus disease spread, virus evolution and ecology, virus‐vector interactions, advances in diagnostics, surveillance and control. A special session deals with IPM‐CRSP programs on virus disease management in developing countries. 

There is also a special session on strengthening plant virology in sub‐Saharan Africa, where virus diseases have remained a primary threat to a number of staple crops.  

Download IPVE Flyer
View book of abstracts

Advancing a Science and Technology Agenda for African Agriculture

15 January 2013. Ababa, Ethiopia,  – In an event that highlights continued progress towards African agricultural sustainability, African Union Commission (AUC) Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, H.E. Rhoda Peace Tumusiime and Chief Executive Officer of the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers (CGIAR Consortium), Dr. Frank Rijsberman signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of the two organizations.

The MoU describes a strategic partnership under the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) of the AUC and CGIAR Consortium to facilitate, “enhanced coordination, collaboration, and alignment between CGIAR Consortium members and initiatives and those of African agricultural research and development organizations at the country, sub-regional, and continental levels with regard to their respective priorities, objectives, and programs for increased agricultural productivity in Africa.”

The MoU calls for joint actions to guide implementation of alignment of programs and support activities for CAADP, including: 

1. a research alignment plan that coordinates research programs with CAADP National Investment Plans; 
2. a Science and Technology Agenda for African Agriculture; 
3. a joint plan to support regional and sub-regional research activities; 
4. the development of joint African and CGIAR technology platforms; 
5. technical support; 
6. and joint sharing of information and knowledge.

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.

Turning Innovations into Market Opportunities

30/10/2012. Breakout session GCARD II, P3.2 Turning Innovations into Market Opportunities.

Research has a central role to play in generating evidence to inform policymaking and policy design about the underlying enabling environment and to support and evaluate new institutional arrangements and mechanisms addressing the shortfalls. These include innovation in business models along the value chain, new risk management instruments, financial intermediation addressing the missing market for credit, support for collective action for market development or advocacy, and new technologies and technical innovation in product handing, quality assurance and value chain management.

New organizational arrangements which place the user of research central in the definition of research priorities and in uptake processes are required. This includes a central role for organizations which represent the interests of the smallholders in particular farmer organizations but also for the private sector, trade and commodity associations and procurement officers in government programmes. 

Research partnerships which tackle cross-cutting issues in markets need to work with inter-ministerial task groups which go beyond ministries of agriculture and include other sectoral line-ministries responsible for trade, infrastructure, innovation and poverty-reduction strategies as well as the key stakeholders including farmer organizations, private sector and trade and commodity platforms.

The Session was chaired by Philip Kiriro, President, East Africa Farmers Federation, and
facilitated by Felicity Proctor, an independent consultant, UK.

The first part of the Session addressed the Enabling environment and policies for smallholders. 

1. Karen Brooks (IFPRI), outlined the CGIAR funded and recently launched programme entitled Policies, Institutions, and Markets to Strengthen Food Security and Incomes for the Rural Poor. Illustrative examples of innovation initiated under this programme on contract farming and on strengthening rural producer organizations were outlined. 
2. Ruben Méndez (ALIFRUT, Alimentos and Frutos SA), presented an innovative alliance between ALIFRUT, a publicly-funded research and smallholder producers who are working together to address specific challenges facing smallholders’ market inclusion in the Chilean context and expand their export markets. 
3.  Lorenzo Castillo (Junta Nacional de Café [JNC]), Peru, explained how a lobby agenda has been developed by a group of economic farmers’ organizations and led by the coffee cooperatives to influence the agenda of the national multi-stakeholder platform on agricultural policy and the outcome of these advocacy actions to enhance smallholder market access. 
4. Giel Ton (his presentation starts at 1h01') (LEI Wageningen University and Research Centre, Netherlands) introduce the Empowering Smallholder Farmers in the Markets (ESFIM) Programme drawing out key generic lessons from work in ten countries on farmer organizations–research partnerships on strengthening farmer organization-led research for advocacy.

The second part (no video available) of the session entitled Fostering Smallholder Entrepreneurship - examples from
practice will bring first-hand examples from farmer organizations where such organizations have
developed strategies of collective action and used evidence-based advocacy to call for change in
policies and institutional arrangements to ensure that such arrangements meet the needs of their
membership and specifically smallholders. 

1. John Mutunga (Kenya National Federation of Agricultural Producers [KENFAP]) shared KENFAPs experiences of how contributions to policy making processes have enhanced the pro-smallholder farmer market access agenda; 
2. Shirlene Chaves (Mujeres Campesinas de Costa Rica [CMC]), outlined how women have mobilised to enable better market access including the building up of local markets and 
3. José Bervejillo (Cooperativas Agrarias Federadas [CAF]), presented examples of innovation processes in the  cooperative sector and how these can inform the national innovation policy in Uruguay. 

The panel of respondents included:  

1. Robert Carlson (President, World Farmers’ Organization);
2. Mohamed El-Kholy (Olive Network of the Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa [AARINENA]); 
3. Lucy  Muchoki (CEO, Pan African Agribusiness Consortium [PanAAC]); and 
4. Bayan Alimgazinova (AgroInnovation, Kazakhstan).

 5 p. Download document

Africa can easily grow wheat to ease hunger.

October 8 - 12, 2012. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Wheat for food security in Africa. Science and policy dialogue about the future of wheat in Africa. Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), CIMMYT, ICARDA, IFPRI, African Union and WHEAT CGIAR research program.

In 2010 African countries spent more than 12.5 billion US$ to import of 32 million tons of wheat. Demand for wheat in Africa is growing faster than for any other food crop. This will be a major challenge particularly in cities, where urban population growth is forecasted to increase by 300% by 2050.

Several countries could achieve wheat yields exceeding 6 t/ha (compared to global average of
3t/ha). But many challenges prevent countries from realizing this potential.

The conference topics were:

• Africa’s food security and the changing demand for wheat over next decades
• African perspectives on national food security and the way forward
• Biological yield potential in various eco-regions of Africa
• Major biotic and abiotic constraints of wheat production in Africa related to climate change
• Potential for profitable wheat production in Africa
• Major constraints (policy, institutional issues, infrastructure - road and market access etc.) to wheat production in Africa

Declaration by the participants: 
 Wheat for Africa (W4A) Declaration (278.37 kB)

Related report

A 89-page study, Africa’s wheat potential (2.5 MB) issued at the wheat conference in Ethiopia, said it aimed to identify ways to raise wheat production as "a hedge against food insecurity, political instability and price shocks."

This report, examining environmental conditions of 12 nations from Ethiopia to Zimbabwe, said that farmers south of the Sahara grew only 44 percent of the wheat consumed locally, meaning dependence on international markets prone to price spikes.

"Sub-Saharan Africa has extensive areas of land that are suitable for profitably producing wheat under rain-fed conditions," according to the study by the non-profit International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center.

It said countries in the region were producing only between 10 and 25 percent of the amounts that the Center's research suggested was "biologically possible and economically profitable" with a net return of $200 per hectare (2.5 acres).

"Wheat is not an African crop, it is not a tropical crop (but) many governments want to produce wheat locally instead of paying for imports," Hans-Joachim Braun, director of the Center's global wheat program, told Reuters by telephone.

The report estimated that African nations would spend about $12 billion to import 40 million tonnes of wheat in 2012, particularly for fast-growing cities. More wheat should not be grown at the expense of other more viable crops, Braun said.

PRESS RELEASE: Comprehensive 12-country analysis of climate, soil, and economic data suggests potential for significant rise in wheat production in eight African nations

Press Release WITH EMBARGO (295.52 kB)

REPORT: The Potential of Wheat Production in Sub-Saharan African Countries: Biophysical Suitability and Economic Profitability in Selected Countries

Report – Africa’s wheat potential WITH EMBARGO (2.5 MB)

POLICY BRIEF: Wheat for Food Security in Africa: Biophysical Potential, Economic Profitability and Competitiveness of Domestic Production
SEP Policy Brief WITH EMBARGO. ( 2.52 MB)

ABSTRACTS: Available by country upon request

Advocacy Toolkit on ARD

The CIARD partners announced the new Advocacy Toolkit on “Opening Agricultural Knowledge for All”, which is offered to organizations and individuals in support of their efforts to raise awareness, advocate, and influence others. 

The Toolkit is aimed at researchers, scientists, managers, and information/communication professionals with an interest in opening up agricultural knowledge. The Toolkit is published in wiki format, with the intention that it will be enhanced and developed by CIARD partners and stakeholders. 

There are pages on designing approaches, selecting targets, building a case methods and tools, using evidence to support advocacy, and some case studies. 

1.Advocacy: What & Why
2. Advocacy: When & Where
3.Strategic Approach
4.Target selection
5.Methods and Tools
6.Top 10 tips
7. Building the case
8. Evidence to use
9.Examples/Cases
10.References

This Toolkit was prepared with input from various CIARD partners, and particularly the CGIAR, FAO, GFAR, and the regional research forums in Asia/Pacific (APAARI), and Latin America and the Caribbean (FORAGRO/IICA), and the Near East (AARINENA).

Dublin II meeting: CAADP – CGIAR Alignment:

17–19 September. Dublin. The Dublin Momentum, is an initiative aimed at exploring how the international research agenda of the CGIAR can be aligned with African country and regional programmes around a Science Agenda for African Agriculture – and how development partners could best support such alignment.

The meeting provided the opportunity for greater connectivity and focus between CAADP and the CGIAR research programs (CRPs), thus bridging the gap between African demand for technical support and the CGIAR’s

The outcomes of two workshops were presented at the Dublin II meeting. These workshops intended to help countries draw upon best practices and technical resources to begin the detailed design of new investments and programmes in agricultural research, extension and education.

See communique of the Dublin process

Nairobi regional workshop on CAADP-CGIAR alignment

The first regional workshop, took place in Nairobi 27–30 August 2012. It ­was organised
jointly by the FARA Secretariat and the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA).

• The workshop brought together over 60 participants from seven ASARECA member countries (Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania); representatives of 12 CRPs from eight CGIAR centres (Biodiversity International, CIFOR, CIMMYT, ICARDA, ICRISAT, IFPRI, IITA and ILRI); and national agricultural research institutions. 
• During the 4-day workshop, the participants reviewed and identified key gaps and opportunities that can be addressed by research, extension and education by matching them with relevant research priorities, thus enabling the CRPs to tailor their research agenda effectively. 
• They also formulated preliminary action plans on how the CRPs can address the research, extension and education components of the investment plans as articulated in FARA’s Framework for African Agricultural Productivity (FAAP) and the CAADP Pillar IV Strategy and Operational Plan. These action plans will effectively move the research agenda from the planning stage to implementation. 
• See Final report of the meeting: Understanding CAADP, IPS and CRPS - caadpasareca - PBworks  Facilitation and Documentation by Paul Kibwika and Ahmed Zziwa, PICO-Uganda Ltd, 179 pages. 

The second workshop took place 4–6 September in Saly, Portudal, Senegal. Focusing on agricultural productivity in West Africa, the workshop brought together a similar number of participants from seven countries in West Africa (Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo) as well as the CGIAR CRP lead centres.

Related:

Mapping and Aligning CAADP Investment Plan Technology and Innovation Needs with African Agricultural R&D Investments.
The Dublin Momentum secured the commitment of key players to ensuring that the products and services of the international agricultural research community directed toward Africa will be aligned to needs and priorities articulated through CAADP-led processes and, more specifically, the national medium-term agricultural Investment Plans (IPs) developed as part of individual CAADP Compacts.The initial goal of this mapping platform is to develop and apply an approach by which technology and innovation needs, as embodied in agricultural development IPs, can be compared and contrasted with on-going and planned agricultural research investments in the region. The primary scope of R&D investments to be examined will be those of the CGIAR Consortium Research Programs (CRPs), and complementary activities by SROs and NARs.

Agricultural Research for Development- Innovations and Incentives

Dr Nteranya Sanginga, IITA, made a presentation on: Agronomy or Brown
Revolution needed to intensify agricultural productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa

26-27 September, 2012, Uppsala, Sweden. The Swedish research network Agricultural Research for Development (Agri4D) organised an annual multi/inter-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder conference on agriculture, livestock and forest research in an international development context.

The conference was organized by the networks Agri4D, SIANI, Focali, Future Agriculture, Future Forests and SLU Global. Distinguished international guests gave key-note presentations on pertinent research and developmental questions. Sessions were thematic and led by a session leader who gave a session key-note presentation.

This year the themes were pre-organized and focused on the new CGIAR Research Programs (CRPs). The sessions will include presentations by CRP representatives as well as by Swedish research groups.

• Flyer - Innovations Incentives 2012.pdf
• Program: Innovations Incentives.pdf
• Short biographies of key note speakers: Biographies key note speakers.pdf

Related: 

Future Agriculture report: Critical research issues for future sub-Saharan African agriculture  (40 pages)
A report that have been using four different scenarios to identify future challenges and research needs for food production and land use in sub-Saharan Africa. It will be presented by Future Agriculture at a seminar at SLU on September 28th.
Download: Future Agriculture SSA scenario report.pdf

Related:
Agri4D funding opportunities for members
Agri4D announced funding opportunities, maximum ammount to apply for is 100 000 SEK, for writing multidisciplinary reviews/synthesis/discussion papers and research applications.
Agri4D_announces_new_funding_opportunities.pdf

An update on CGIAR reform: reinvigorating global research on agriculture

July 25, 2012. Washington, DC. An update on CGIAR reform by Frank Rijsberman, CEO of CGIAR Consortium at the International Food Policy Research Institute.

The CGIAR has been transformed through a reorganization over the last three years. What has been achieved? What is still left to be done? Securing a food secure future without wrecking the planet is the greatest challenge facing humanity in coming decades. Is the new CGIAR ready to face this challenge? The new CEO of the CGIAR Consortium discussed his priorities to ensure that the reform delivers on its promise.

   

In May 2012, Frank Rijsberman was appointed CEO of the CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food secure future. He will be responsible for driving the implementation of the ongoing CGIAR reform, which is transforming the world’s largest system of publicly-funded research on agriculture. There will be a new focus on a coherent portfolio of CGIAR Research Programs to improve food security and reduce rural poverty and malnutrition while protecting the environment. IFPRI is one of 15 international agricultural research centers that are members of the CGIAR.

(IFPRI).
 

An update on CGIAR reform from International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

Sustainable Agricultural Productivity Growth: Small Family Farms

Global agriculture will face multiple challenges over the coming decades. It must produce more food to feed a growing world population.  It must also contribute to overall development and poverty alleviation in many developing countries.

And in case that was not enough to contend with, global agriculture must also confront the issues connected to competition for finite land and water resources, adapt to climate change, and contribute to preserving biodiversity and restoring fragile ecosystems.

Early in 2012 Mexico (as G20 President) invited international organizations to examine practical actions that could be undertaken to sustainably improve agricultural productivity growth, in particular on small family farms.

The preparation of this report, coordinated by the FAO and the OECD, is a collaborative undertaking by Bioversity International, CGIAR Consortium, FAO, IFAD, IFPRI, IICA, OECD, UNCTAD, UN High Level Task Force on the Food Security Crisis, WFP, World Bank, and WTO.

The report invites G20 countries to engage in a medium- to long-term review of policies fostering sustainable productivity growth, beginning with their own food and agriculture sectors.

RIO+20 and Sustainable Agriculture

11 June 2012. In the run-up to RIO+20, the U.N. Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), CGIAR, the global agricultural research partnership, issued a call to action. In this seven-point plan, CGIAR outlines how agricultural research for development can contribute to a more sustainable, food-secure future.

The conference recognizes the need for agricultural research for development: The Zero Draft of the conference's outcome document calls on "all states to prioritize sustainable intensification of food production through increased investment in local food production, improved access to local and global agri-food markets, and reduced waste throughout the supply chain, with special attention to women, smallholders, youth, and indigenous farmers.

The preparations for Rio+20 have highlighted seven areas that need priority attention. CGIAR's main focus, "food security and sustainable agriculture," is one of those seven areas.

Bruce Campbell Ph.D. Director, CGIAR Research Progamme on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security, interviewed  Dr. Frank Rijsberman, the newly appointed CEO of the CGIAR Consortium, to find out how agriculture and the environment are now "best friends."Community-designed programs"... focusing on small holder farmers?

Yes, contrary to the focus of the big agro-business, CGIAR concentrates on supporting and strengthening local production groups and small holders. Marginalized food producers, particularly women, need to be included more in the bid for sustainable development. They should be empowered to increase their production and marketing of a wide diversity of adapted and nutritious crops, many of which have been long-neglected by agricultural research. This empowerment can be achieved through a combination of basic agronomic research, strengthened land and water rights, increased access to markets, finance and insurance. While CGIAR concentrates on local research, we enhance local capacity -- where possible -- through community-based farmer organizations.

SIDE EVENTS AT RIO+20 

More than 500 on-site side events organized by Governments, Major Groups, Organizations from the UN system and other International Organizations will take place in RioCentro during Prepcom III (13-15 June), the Sustainable Development Dialogue Days (16-19 June) and the Summit (20-22 June).

Following side events target [African] agriculture and environment:

• Mainstreaming Organic Agriculture as a Means of Implementation International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) 
• Feeding the World: Sustainable Agriculture & Innovation  International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
• Biotechnology and Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Public Research and Regulation Initiative (PRRI)
• Women's Leadership in a Green Economy: Valuing Women's Contributions Women Organizing for Change in Agriculture and Natural Resource Management (WOCAN)
• From Production To Consumption - Towards A Sustainable Food System, Millennium Institute
• Fertile Soil for our Future: nourish our people - nurture our planet Biovision + Foundation for ecological Development
• Peasants Reclaiming our Future with Food Sovereignty and Agroecology LA VIA CAMPESINA - International Peasant Movement 
• RECOGNIZING AFRICA'S ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT AND HARNESSING NATURAL CAPIT Senegal
• Sustainable Energy for All - implications and opportunities for Africa Practical Action
Crossborder Projects of Maiombe and Kaza: The actual status of implementation Angola
• Towards Sustainable Food Security in the Sahel Niger
• African Young Scientist Initiative on Climate Change and IKS South Africa
• Workshop on the Protection of Lake Chad Chad
• Sustainable Development in the context of Regional Integration in EAC East African Community (EAC)
• FINANCING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA African Development Bank (AFDB)
• PRIVATE SECTOR DIALOGUE IN THE CONTEXT OF GREEN ECONOMY African Development Bank (AFDB)
• Sustainable Development Goals: From 'silo thinking' towards an integrated approach. Insights from the European Report on Development  European Commission
• Goals for Healthy Soils and the Role of the Global Soil Partnership European Commission
• South-South&Triangular cooperation:innovative solutions to achieve SDG ACP Secretariat
• Food for life & life of food Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Climate Analogues: Finding Tomorrow’s Agriculture Today

Scientists have issued an analysis of East Africa’s future climate as the first step in a new programme that will help farmers grow crops that will best thrive in the changed weather conditions 20 years from now, a new study has shown.

“Climate change will significantly alter growing conditions, but in most places the new farming environment will not be novel in the global context,” said Julian Ramirez, a scientist based at the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture in Colombia and a lead author of the study.

The report is compiled by the Consultative Group on International on International Agricultural Research programme on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security.

Titled, Climate Analogues: Finding Tomorrow’s Agriculture Today, the report forms the platform of a global programme to exchange knowledge between communities on current agriculture practices that can help maintain productivity in the future, despite potentially dramatic shifts in growing conditions.

Related:
Under Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), researchers have developed a software-based tool that offer farmers a glimpse into their future by identifying places where growing conditions today match those expected in their fields in two to five decades’ time. The tool can be used to link climate and crop models with agricultural technologies, including improved varieties and agronomic practices, by matching sites that could offer ideas for adaptation to shifting climate patterns.


The software offers two interfaces developed for different user groups. The first, known as an R-library - a free software environment for statistical computing and graphics - is targeted at those with some background in programming and statistics. The second is an online interface that draws from the R-library, built for scientists working in agriculture but with more limited technical skills.

The tool uses a series of statistical functions applied onto future and current climate data, as well as input from the user (target-site location and some tool-specific parameters) to find out where the analogue areas of a particular site’s future or current conditions are located. Hence it answers the very important question: how will my site look in 30 or 50 years?

The CCAFS programme will also fund a series of farmer exchanges between South Asia (involving India, Nepal, and Bangladesh) and East Africa (covering Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya). This initiative, called “Farms of the Future”, is being coordinated by social and agro-climate scientists, and aims to evaluate farmers’ responses to changing climatic conditions. The key idea is to use the climate analogue tool to acquaint farmers with their possible climate futures via physical farm visits in different regions of the world. 

Increasing Agricultural Productivity and Enhancing Food Security in Africa: New Challenges and Opportunities

The November 1–3 conference “Increasing Agricultural Productivity and Enhancing Food Security in Africa: New Challenges and Opportunities,” was co-organized by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), and the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA). Speakers and participants showcased opportunities to improve agricultural productivity and explored how they can be effectively implemented through the framework of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme.

Experts at the conference also examined issues related to:

• science, technology, and innovation in agriculture;
• rural services and access to inputs;
• markets, trade, and regional integration and value chains;
• investments, institutions, and policies for supporting agriculture;
• agriculture, nutrition, and health linkages;
• agriculture and climate change mitigation and adaptation;
• capacity development for agriculture through education and training; and
• the nexus of agriculture and the rural nonfarm sector in growth and poverty reduction

The keynote address - ‘harnessing the potential of science and the numbers’ was given by FARA’s Monty Jones. He emphasized the need for ‘radical approaches’ and ‘radical actions.’ Africa should come up with its own unique interventions, he said, and listen to the voices of the 600 million African farmers.

Stephen Muchiri of the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation said:

“The major challenge in increasing agriculture productivity in Africa is low agro investment, markets are not well developed, there are market restrictions, farmers can’t easily access the market, and they don’t have power to have their own markets. If there is no access to markets, the entire value chain will be affected. Markets are the way to boost research, input, credit facilities and risk mitigation. When farmers are involved in value chains they are going to be able to access market information that helps them prepare their production in ways that suit market demand.”

Keynote Speech by Yusuf Abubakar, ARCN. Strengthening capacity for agricultural science and technology in Africa


Keynote Speech by Namanga Ngongi, AGRA. Delivering African agricultural productivity and food security through a Green Revolution: prospects and challenges

G20 Conference on Agricultural Research for Development

G20 Conference on Agricultural Research for Development

September 12-13, 2011. The French Presidency of the G20 convened in Montpellier a conference on Agriculture Research for Development, promoting scientific partnerships for food security.

This Conference provided a timely opportunity to consider how G20 Agricultural Research Systems can achieve a step-change in supporting development and to consider which actions to take forward in specific regional and inter-regional initiatives.

The main purpose of the first G20 Conference on ARD was to mobilise the G20 capacities in this field to meet the global challenges of scientific partnership for development and food security, with 4 specific objectives:

• To build a mutual knowledge between the G20 agricultural research systems, in order to improve policy coherence through enhanced cooperation and coordination of research policies and programmes on food security.
• To mobilise the G20 agricultural research and knowledge systems to develop effective and innovative research partnerships for development, leverage innovative research results-based mechanisms and enhance the impact of the CGIAR Research Programme (CRP) outcomes.
• To strengthen capacities in agriculture technologies and productive systems for developing countries optimising complementarities and synergies between the G20 agricultural research systems.
• To better involve the G20 agricultural research systems in the design of and participation in the 2nd Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD) scheduled in Uruguay in 2012.

Carlos Perez Del Castillo (CGIAR Board Chair), Monty Jones (GFAR Board Chair), David Nabarro (Special Representative of the UN SG on Food Security and Nutrition), Philippe Petithuguenin (European Union, DGRTD), Feng Dongxin (Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, CAAS)

Session 2

How to establish effective multi-stakeholder research partnerships to capitalise on the knowledge and expertise of diverse research actors (e.g. North-South, South-South and trilateral cooperation) and leverage the private sector for additional investments in agricultural research (e.g. pull mechanisms)?

Japan-Brazil-Mozambique Cooperation on Tropical Savannah Agricultural Development / Teruyoshi Kumashiro, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Frederico Paiva, Brazilian Agency of Cooperation (ABC)

Intellectual Property Rights, a tool to enhance private/public partnerships / Niels Louwaars, Wageningen University (NL)

Pull mechanisms in Agricultural research for Development / Susan Mc Adams and Ulrich Hess (WB)

Session 3

How to improve effectiveness and efficiency in capacity-building programmes to generate, share and make use of agricultural knowledge for developing countries through new and existing tools?

Capacity Development in ARD, point of view from Agrinatura on critical issues for the G20 / Andrew Westby (Director of the Natural Resources Institute, NRI, UK)

Andrew Westby, Tim Chancellor, Paolo Sarfatti and Didier Pillot

Presentation of the concept note on a platform for Tropical Agriculture / Dr. Xiangjun Yao (Director, Office of Knowledge Exchange, Research and Extension, FAO)

Concept Paper-Tropical Agriculture Platform