Comment fabriquer des bio-pesticides?

Comment fabriquer des bio-pesticides et comment les utiliser dans le maraîchage urbain et périurbain? La question a figurée au centre de l'atelier de formation des animateurs agricoles sur les approches-champs-écoles-paysans. Cet atelier a eu lieu au groupement des maraîchers de Mayanga dans le premier arrondissement de Brazzaville.

Eugénie OLOMBA, Experte horticole R/D, FAO Kinshasa a rendu compte de cette experience lors de l' Atelier de définition et de validation des questions de recherche relatives à la filière maraîchère en Afrique Centrale, 24 janvier 2013.

Preparation bios pesticides 


Clôture de l'atelier de formation des...

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African Indigenous Vegetables  in Urban Agriculture
First published by Earthscan in the UK and USA in 2009
Selection and editorial matter © Charlie M. Shackleton, Margaret W. Pasquini and
Axel W. Drescher, 2009


Drawing extensively from (but not restricted to) the discussions and research of the IndigenoVeg network, this book synthesizes existing knowledge and new information, bringing together the fields of indigenous vegetables and urban and peri-urban agriculture on the African continent.

In doing so, it highlights the potential synergies of the two fields with benefits for sustainable livelihoods, food security and biodiversity conservation, illustrated with new case studies from across sub-Saharan Africa.

It concludes by reflecting critically on what is understood about indigenous vegetables and urban agriculture, and what areas require further research, identifying the areas for policy intervention to bring the two fields together.

Related:
16/01/2013 - Communiqué de presse

Quelles ressources pour nourrir durablement les villes ? C'est la question que met en débat la Chaire Unesco Alimentations du monde, à l'occasion du 2e colloque international, qu'elle organise vendredi 1er février 2013, à Montpellier. Le Cirad est partenaire de l'événement.

Le 2e colloque international Eau, énergie, terres, emplois : Quelles ressources pour nourrir durablement les villes ? s’inscrit dans la mission de partage des savoirs de la Chaire Unesco Alimentations du monde, à laquelle participe le Cirad. Il vise tout particulièrement à susciter des débats entre enseignants, chercheurs, responsables des secteurs publics et privés, des organisations professionnelles, du mouvement associatif et de la société civile en général.

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

Green Economy – from intention to action

Tony Simons (far right) speaking at the SusCon in Bonn

27-28 November 2012, Bonn. SusCon 2012. For the third time SusCon, the International Conference on Sustainable Business and Consumption.

The conference brought - under the patronage of Mr. Janez Potočnik, European Commissioner for the Environment together - around 450 participants from 37 countries. Businesses, NGOs and politicians discussed on issues related to a “Green Economy” and debated on solutions for sustainable supply chains.

Major topics were technical innovations, CSR 2.0, resource efficiency, certification as well as financial transitions and lifestyles.

SusCon's Bonn Declaration -Green Economy Offers Solutions for Global Challenges. Comment on and/or support the declaration! The declaration summarizes the elements of shared convictions of the endorsing SusCon networking partners and serves as an appeal to promote the development of an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable future for our planet as well as for present and future generations.

FAO Film Documents Seed Diversity and Climate Adaptation in Ethiopia

November 2012: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has released a short film that documents the ways Ethiopian smallholder farmers recognize and use seed diversity in their local farming practices to build resilience into their fields.

FAO's documentary, titled "Seeds of Diversity," gathers information on the kinds of seeds that farmers prefer and helps to create a greater understanding on the importance of preserving genetic diversity in seeds.

Film on food sovereignty: Crops of the Future (French)

On November 8th 2012, the screening of this film was organized by SOS Faim at the European Parliament with the support of three MEPs: Charles Goerens (ALDE), Mariya Gabriel (EPP) and Bart Staes (The Greens). 

The Crops of the Future is Marie Monique Robin latest documentary, which completes her trilogy after The world according to Monsanto (2008) and Our daily poison (2011). Ms. Robin shows that is possible to tackle the food crisis together with the environmental and climate crises. 

Prioritising and supporting small-scale farmers must be the core of future policies that aim at tackling energy, climate, poverty and biodiversity issues. By exploring agro-ecological practices from different continents, the film demonstrates that another type of agriculture is possible and shows how revisiting farmers’ practices and rethinking the agricultural production system can help to meet the most important challenges of our time.

Comment nourrir les 9 milliards d'habitants annoncés en 2050 ? Une émission de télévision a convaincu Marie-Monique Robin de poursuivre ses investigations sur l'urgence de produire autrement.

Vers l'entretien avec Marie-Monique Robin
Galerie photo : "En voyage pour Les Moissons du futur"
Remerciements de l'auteur

Related: 

Comment les produits chimiques qui contaminent notre chaîne alimentaire sont-ils testés, évalués, puis réglementés ? Notre Poison Quotidien est une grande enquête de Marie-Monique Robin (Le monde selon Monsanto) qui démontre de manière implacable comment l'industrie chimique empoisonne nos assiettes.

Note: Ce film a uniquement été uploadé dans un but éducationnel. En aucun cas je n'ai l'intention d'en tirer avantage. Tous droits réservés à ARTE.

EC Contributes 5 Million Euros to Help Farmers Maintain Crop Diversity

21 JUNE 2012. FAO Press Release. The European Commission is contributing more than €5 million (6.5 million dollars) towards the Benefit-sharing Fund of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, FAO announced at a high-level ministerial meeting on the plant treaty at the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development.

The Benefit-sharing Fund helps farmers in developing countries manage crop diversity for food security and climate change adaptation. This is the single largest contribution made to the Benefit-sharing Fund since it was established in 2008. It will help to increase the capacity of smallholder farmers to manage traditional crops like potato, rice, cassava, wheat and sorghum.

 "One of the Benefit-sharing Fund's unique features is the transparent process that governs the allocation of funds. After a wide announcement of each call, all the project proposals received for funding are evaluated according to established scientific criteria by international experts in order to fund the best projects," said Shakeel Bhatti, Secretary of the International Treaty. 

The contribution from the European Commission will make possible a range of activities, including:

• On-farm evaluation, selection and management of local and introduced seed varieties;
• Conservation of local and threatened varieties in national or international genebanks or the development of local and community genebanks; 
• Documentation and sharing of local and indigenous knowledge that brings value to local crops and varieties; 
• The transfer of technologies for conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources to farmers and selected institutions in developing countries; 
• Establishment of links between farmers and communities elsewhere to promote the sharing of genetic material and information about that material, which will help farmers to respond to climate change.

So far, two rounds of calls and approvals have taken place. Altogether 30 projects have received funding.

Relevant links and documents:
The benefit-sharing fund
Approval of the first round of projects under the Benefit Sharing fund
Approval of the second round of projects under the Benefit Sharing fund

Agriculture & Rural Development Day at Rio+20

18 June 2012. The purpose of the  4th Agriculture and Rural Development Day, Rio+20 was to ensure that the vision for a sustainable green economy includes clear steps for building a sustainable food system.

 

 The 4th annual Agriculture and Rural Development Day was held in conjunction with the Rio+20 Earth Summit to discuss agriculture’s role in building a global green economy. Co-organised by 17 partner organisations, the day united 600 agricultural experts, including policymakers and negotiators, farmers, and scientist.

  

The event aimed to ensure that the new vision for sustainable development outlined at Rio+20 recognizes the importance of agriculture and includes key steps necessary for achieving a sustainable food system. Keynote speakers included Mendes Ribeiro Filho, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply, Brazil and Rachel Kyte, World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development and CGIAR Fund Council Chair.

 

Thirteen participatory “learning events” were held that share knowledge from various projects on the ground in the developing world. Each learning event related to one of the seven recommendations outlined by the recent report from the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change, “Achieving Food Security in the Face of Climate Change” The CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) has produced a short photo-film that illustrates ways people around the world are already taking actions that align with the Commission’s recommendations.

Press Conference - Agriculture & Rural Development Day at Rio+20.(Moderator Lindiwe Sibanda of FANRPAN)

 

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)

Second African Organic Conference

UNCTAD's Deputy Secretary-General, Mr. Petko Draganov,
together with the H.E. Mr. Emmanuel Chenda,
Zambian Minister of Agriculture and Livestock,
and representatives of IFOAM, the African Union and the FAO,
the first President of Zambia, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda,
a fervent supporter of organic agriculture, participated 
in the opening session of the conference.

2-4 May 2012. Lusaka, Zambia. The Second African Organic Conference concluded with the adoption of The Lusaka Declaration on Mainstreaming Organic Agriculture into the African Development Agenda, which urges the African Union (AU), including the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), to implement the African Organic Action Plan.

The Conference aimed to showcase the role of organic agriculture in ensuring food security and poverty alleviation. More than 300 participants from 40 countries are in attendance. The Conference was held under the theme "Mainstreaming organic agriculture into the African development agenda," with support from the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The conference stressed that shifting agriculture towards organic practices leads to farming methodologies that rely on local resources, thus shielding farmers from external price shocks as well as encouraging local job creation and preserving arable farm land.

 [The Lusaka Declaration on Mainstreaming Organic Agriculture into the African Development Agenda] [UN Press Release] [2nd African Organic Conference Website]

Farmers in Africa should switch to biopesticides

12 April 2012. SciDev. Manuele Tamò. Farmers in Africa should switch to biopesticides

The fungus Beauveria bassiana can protect cabbage against the diamondback moth

Flickr/BugMan50

Biopesticides are better and safer than chemical pesticides — policymakers must do more to promote them, says insect ecologist Manuele Tamò.

Local production. Bio-pesticides can be produced locally with cheap materials and simple equipment, and can generate additional household income by engaging womengroups or unemployed youth.

Recent examples of the production of a baculovirus to attack the cotton bollworm in India clearly demonstrate the feasibility of this approach. Community-based production of this virus was initially funded by a grant from the UK's Department for International Development. But it has continued beyond the end of the project, prompting nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), the private sector and even the government to set up production units.

Manuele Tamò is the Country
Representative IITA in Benin. 

In another example from Benin in West Africa, the international NGO SENS is encouraging community-owned enterprises to help farmers co-invest in producing biopesticides. One of these start-up enterprises, Phileol-HVC is already marketing a mixture of neem oil and essential oils branded BioPhyto. Designed for spraying horticultural crops, it costs a fraction of the price of synthetic pesticide, yet still provides the desired pest control and environmental benefits.

Scaling up. So why aren't more farmers using bio-pesticides in Africa? In West Africa, the main reason is the lack of 'off the shelf' availability. Some farmers may know the advantages of using botanical extracts, such as the absence of hazardous side-effects, but are reluctant to invest extra time and labour to produce them by themselves during the peak cropping season.

This is particularly true for male farmers. So engaging women groups or unemployed youth in producing biopesticides, as well as making them affordable and of good quality, helps promote their use. Research institutions and NGOs need to develop appropriate training materials to support the use, production, and quality control of biopesticides. Because there is no lab accreditation for quality control of biopesticides in Africa, it is currently done by producers in Africa — and they need appropriate training materials.

Similarly, vendors, consumers and policymakers need to be made aware of the higher quality and safety of products treated with bio-pesticides.

Enhancing partnerships between African and US scientists for collaborative GEC research

2012 Research Partnership Enhancement Awards

Announcing five Awards of $5,000 each to develop and/or enhance partnerships between African and US scientists for collaborative GEC research.

START is offering five grant awards to enhance partnerships between African scientists and US scientists who are currently engaged in Global Environmental Change (GEC) research.

1.  Who is eligible?                                    

Applications will be accepted from individual scientists from Africa who are based at an institution in Africa.  The African scientist must have an established contact with a counterpart scientist based at an institution in the United States.  

2.  Why are the grants being offered?

START sponsors a number of programs to build capacity for GEC research and outreach by scientists in Africa.  (http://start.org/programs)   Over the years, START has received many requests to provide funds to allow face-to-face visits of scientists from the US and Africa.  The Research Partnership Enhancement Awards are being offered as a way to enhance collaborative US/Africa projects for research, training, joint scientific publications and the development of communication products.  The awards are part of START’s overall goals to:

·         increase the number of scientists in Africa who are working on global environmental change issues;

·         enhance communication at the interface of science, policy and practice;

·         encourage research that contributes to understanding global environmental change in the context of regional and national development priorities; and

·         strengthen scientific networks by fostering collaborative relationships across disciplines, institutions and countries.

BPDB: Bio-Pesticides DataBase

The University of Hertfordshire announced the launch of a new database on biopesticides which complements the existing Pesticide properties Database and the Veterinary Substance database. The new system currently holds around 450 records in biocontrol agents ranging from naturally derived substances to insect predators.

Biopesticides can be described as crop protection products that have been derived from natural sources. They include naturally occurring chemicals, pheromones, bacteria, fungi and insect predators. Whilst in many instances the environmental risks of these substances is considered to be less than that of the more traditional chemical pesticides this is not always the case. Data to support risk assessments is scarce and currently there is no single, reliable comprehensive data source.

The University of Hertfordshire’s is a respected source of data for both the more traditional agricultural pesticides (PPDB) and veterinary substances (VSDB). To compliment they now offer the BioPesticide DataBase (BPDB) which is a comprehensive relational database of data relating to pesticides derived from natural substances. Contact the database management team: aeru(a)herts.ac.uk