14 September 2017. In this webinar, The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) shared some examples of their data-visualization work from a variety of projects, the associated stories, and what they learned during the process.
It covered:
What technology they use and why;
What audiences they aim to reach with data visualizations;
How they track the usage/impact of data visualizations.
Presenters:
Soonho Kim: Data Manager, Markets, Trade, and Institutions Division, IFPRI, USA
Nilam Prasai: Data Curator, Communication and Knowledge Management Division, IFPRI, USA
The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries. IFPRI research produces primary datasets at the household, institutional, and country levels; countrywide social-accounting matrices; country, regional, and global spatial datasets; and value-added secondary datasets. These are all openly accessible. Yet making data and knowledge products open access alone will not ensure that we reach all our intended audiences. We must also communicate data and translate information in ways that are audience-friendly—for example, through data visualization and infographics. Such approaches are gaining more prominence at IFPRI and beyond.
12 September 2017. This webinar was a collaborative effort: our panel of professional communicators worked together to share their experiences and approaches, their trials and errors.
Michael Victor is a communication, knowledge management and policy engagement specialist with more than 20 years of experience delivering on strategic communications, production of high value knowledge products, and facilitating multi-stakeholder learning and dialogue processes in the agriculture and natural resource management sectors.
Michael now works for the Agro-Biodiversity Initiative (TABI).
Kathryn M.Clifton works on fostering new approaches to ICT for development at the Catholic Relief Services (CRS), documenting learning, and assisting in
communications.
Kwesi Atta Krah(picture) is the Director, Country Alignment and Systems Integration, at IITA. He
assumed this position in January 2017. Prior to this, he was Executive Director of Humidtropics, a CGIAR Systems Research Program.
Anne Wachira (picture) works at the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in Nairobi, Kenya where she is responsible for managing social media and website content.
Alpha Sennon(picture) is a farmerpreneur, motivational speaker and agri-youth advocate. Alpha is the
founder of WHYFARM (“We Help You-th Farm”) a globally recognised and award-winning nonprofit organisation established to creatively promote agriculture among children by increasing their awareness of the world’s food problems and by doing so grow the future feeders of 2050
Boris Rantaša is a forestry engineer, working as an Independent advisor the Slovenia Forest Service. His main occupation is working on international projects, where he manages and takes part in communication, dissemination and outreach activities. He is an active blogger and an on- and offline editor (see Handbook for Learning and Play in the Forest).
Camilla Vote is a Research Fellow at Charles Sturt University based in Lao PDR. With a background in agricultural and natural resource management, her current research focus (and day job) is the investigation of soil and water management strategies to shift from the monoculture of rice production to dry season field/horticultural crops within the lowland systems of Cambodia and Laos.
Dr Mahesh Chander, PhD in Agricultural Extension Education, is currently Principal Scientist and Head, Division of Extension Education at ICAR’s Indian Veterinary Research Institute. He has been actively associated with research, teaching, training, extension and developmental activities concerning agricultural extension education for over 25 years. He has guided nearly 30 masters and doctoral students.
Calum MacKichan is Publications Officer at the European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO) and is a Global Coordinator of the Fascination of Plants Day, a global celebration of plant science that reaches all continents.
He is chair of Communication for the Marie Curie Alumni Association, was on the Steering Committee of the Science March Brussels, and holds a PhD in Microbiology
peter-avatar-with-dog-copy
Peter Casier is an online media consultant for nonprofit organisations. He loves to hang out in spaces and places “where few have gone before”, experimenting on the edge of things, but always “for the greater good”.
Peter is originally trained as a printing engineer, worked as a software developer, systems engineer, telecoms technician and for 16 years supported the UN humanitarian interventions across the globe. He is also our resident GFAR Community Coordinator.
The next GFAR comms webinars will be:
19 September 2017 “Farmers’ Rights: How Complementarity between Researchers and Farmers Impact the Conservation of Genetic Diversity, Food Security and Livelihoods of the Poor”
Oct 17th: webcasting and live streaming (tools and preparation)
Nov 14th: “A webinar about webinars”: how to run and organize webinars.
Dec 5th: On showcasing “Innovative Annual Reports”
7 September 2017. African Union Research Grants Success Stories
This leaflet highlights a number of success stories from the African Union Research Grants programme on Africa-Europe collaboration in research and innovation on food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture. [Image credit: CAAST-Net Plus]
This booklet provides a glimpse of a selection of the joint Africa-EU initiatives in FNSSA, sponsored by the first phase of the AURG. Although the projects featured here were approved before the FNSSA priority emerged, they have been conducted in the spirit of the Africa-EU partnership in STI and they are illustrative of just how effectively Africa and Europe collaborate to address our shared interests.
AFS 4 Food
Project name Enhancing food security and well-being of rural African households through improved synergy between AgroForestry Systems and Food-crops
Coordinator
Natural Resources Institute, University
of Greenwich, United Kingdom
Total cost
€776,116
AURG contribution
€620,893
Start / end
December 2012 to March 2016
Participants
Tanzania, Kenya, Malawi
Thrips I Eco-friendly pest
control in cowpeas
Project name
Validation and dissemination of bio
intensive eco-friendly management
strategies for thrips – a critical constraint
to cowpea production in Africa
The speakers included members of the CAAST Net Plus (CN+) consortium, funded by the European Commission:
Vinny Pillay (Minister Counsellor, South African Mission to the European Union Department of Science and Technology)
Andy Cherry (Association of Commonwealth Universities, UK)
Benjamin Gyampoh (African Academy of Sciences)
James Haselip (UNEP DTU Partnership, Denmark)
Ahead of the Africa-EU summit in Abidjan, in November 2017, the 25-member CN+ consortium has put together a book entitled Africa-Europe Research and Innovation Cooperation: Global Challenges, Bi-regional Responses.
The book aims to convey the work of CN+ in a digestible format, but also with the purpose of filling the science and technology gap in the existing body of literature on Africa-Europe relations. It raises and answers questions on what the current vision for Africa-Europe cooperation is, how the regions cooperate and what is the way forward.
Related 31 August-1 September 2017. RINEA_STI annual consortium meeting in Helsinki. This meeting discussed the future activities for supporting #EU-#Africa#research cooperation.
In February 2017, more than 70 scientific
experts, programme owners and stakeholders from
Africa and Europe were brought together in Brussels
to identify joint research and innovation (R&I)
needs in sustainable energy, climate change and
capacity building, advancing on existing collaborative
initiatives. Experts identified different situations and
requirements on both sides, with heterogeneity in
national programmes and strategies, means and
disparities between urban and rural areas.
The next step ss to develop a ‘roadmap
agenda’ similar to the Roadmap towards a
jointly funded EU-Africa Research & Innovation
Partnership on FNSSA. The roadmap will be based
on the technical paper on Climate Change and
Sustainable Energy, and will result in the launch of
a new EU-Africa R&I Partnership on climate change
and sustainable energy, with a specific focus on
deployment, capacity building in energy efficiency,
renewable energy, and climate services .
Related: 27 September 2017. Brussels. Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union. Seminar to discuss the relevant research infrastructures and collaborations and examples of capacity building for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and to examine the enabling policy and regulatory environment for enhancing science cooperation on a global level.
The seminar will also consider agriculture and food security, and how Africa and Europe can cooperate. Research and innovation are pivotal to realisation of the goals of Africa’s transformative agenda. Food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture (FNSSA) was identified as the first priority by the EU-Africa High Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD) on Science, Technology and Innovation.
It is envisaged that the recommendations from the seminar will feed into a broad range of discussions at the AU-EU Summit ( Abidjan, Ivory Coast on 29-30 November 2017).
13 September 2017. Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China. UNCCD COP13: ’Scaling-Up Investment into Land Restoration: Getting the Biggest Bang for the Buck’ (6-16 September )
European Commission DG DEVCO “Investment into landscape restoration
for food security, resilience and climate action – key element on the way forward
to Land Degradation Neutrality”
Land degradation is at the nexus of a vicious spiral linking low primary productivity and biodiversity loss with poverty, hunger, instability and insecurity.
Yet the environmental, social and economic functions of even seriously degraded landscapes can be restored if all stakeholders, from farmers and pastoralists to policymakers and businesses, can find ways to work together.
Exploring how this can be done at scale and at low cost is the objective of a new five-year European Union-funded project involving eight African countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia), which aims to uncover pathways for large-scale restoration across the world.
This event explored the key ingredients needed to achieve restoration at a truly massive scale, while also looking at successful initiatives from Africa and China.
Key speakers included:
Bernard Crabbé, European Commission
Mark Schauer, German International Cooperation
Dennis Garrity, World Agroforestry Centre
Cai Mantang, Elion Resources
And high-level government representatives from selected partner countries.
Related:
Access the recent study on the links between terrorism and climate change here: http://bit.ly/terrorismCC
Background: The world’s most extensive humanitarian crisis since 1945 is currently playing out in the four countries that surround Lake Chad: Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria.
Multiple stressors converge in the region. Unemployment, violent insurgencies, poverty and depleting resources interact with climate change and create a perfect storm of climate-fragility risks.
The international community must act, in order to secure lives and livelihoods. The 10-minute film investigates root causes for widespread misery and conflicts. It features interviews with local experts on Lake Chad, peacebuilders and representatives of international organizations, such as the Security Council and the World Food Programme.
To understand the crisis and secure lasting peace in times of climate change, one must shed light on the complexity of the crisis and learn from experiences on the ground.
14-15 September 2017. Uganda. Muyonyo Speke Resort Hotel. The EAFF/East African Farmer Federation Congress organized its 4th conference on Small holder farmers to harness new investments; partnerships and innovations to enhance value chain ownership, productivity and market integration
A side event was held related to PAEPARD: Linking research to application within the extensive livestock value chain.
Potential Biological Control Agents from Strains Isolated from Gm and Non-Gm Brazilian Maize for Control of Aspergillus flavus and Aflatoxin B1 Production.
Contamination of maize by Aspergillus flavus and the production of aflatoxins imposes an extensive socio-economic cost. Among the measures studied to reduce the risk of mycotoxins, biocontrol has been considered a promising technology for sustainable agriculture. A potential option for A. flavus management in the field has largely been focused on the use of atoxigenic isolates of A. flavus which may be able to compete with the toxigenic strains by displacing them and reducing aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contamination. Thus, the aim of this work was to identify potential biological control agents isolated from distinct Brazilian GM/non-GM maize cultivars for control of AFB1.
(...) Studies are in progress to examine in situ impacts on GM- and non-GM maize grain stored under different environmental conditions. Molecular techniques are also being employed to identify whether the atoxigenic A. flavus strains lack some key biosynthetic genes necessary for AFB1 production.
This research was supported by CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil—Project BEX 12937/13-4.
PAEPARD video interview with Dr. Njobeh Patrick Berka.
"To better limit the socio-economic impact of mycotoxins in Africa, there is a necessity for the appropriate authorities and relevant stakeholders to sensitize the populace on mycotoxins and ensure effective measures are in place to restrain the menace of these deadly naturally occurring toxins."
Dr. Njobeh Patrick Berka answers following questions:
Is it a coincidence that many African mycotoxin researchers are women?
What are the challenges for in your field of research?
Background:
Dr PB Njobeh is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology in the Faculty of Science at the University of Johannesburg.
Dr Njobeh is the head of the Mycotoxin Research Unit with research focus in the area of Mycotoxicology and mycology.
He has successfully supervised over 22 Master’s, PhD and postdoctoral Research fellows and has over 70 peer-reviewed papers, book chapters and conference papers published in high impact journals.
He is a member of the Joint (FAO/WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) saddled with the responsibility of delivering scientific advice for the establishment of global food safety standards of Codex Alimentarius and others.
He has established collaboration both nationally and internationally and is part of the Center of Excellence (CoE) in Food Security co-hosted by the University of Pretoria and University of the Western Cape.
He has hosted over 20 international visiting scientists in his laboratory.
This report represents the conclusions of a Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee convened to evaluate the safety of various contaminants or groups of contaminants in food. The first part of the report contains a brief description of general considerations addressed at the meeting, including updates on matters of interest to the work of the Committee.
"While the full monograph of the 83rd JECFA is not yet available (‘the yellow book’), the detailed summary (‘blue book’) deserves the attention of all those involved in the health and agricultural aspects of the mycotoxins considered.
Aflatoxin had not been done since 1998 and it was time for a major review. At the time of drafting (one year ago), there were 11,000 scientific publications in PubMed on aflatoxin, almost twice the number available at the 49th JECFA (JECFA, 1999). The database of the American Chemistry Society recorded 28,000 publications on aflatoxin. Two important things I would note is that unlike the previous monograph there is an explicit acknowledgement of the plight of countries with potentially high exposures to aflatoxin in terms of acute aflatoxicosis. The second important thing is that the panel concluded that aflatoxin was associated with stunting, although more well-conducted studies are needed to understand the exposure required. The monograph discusses the available exposure data on a global basis and a new and thoughtful discussion of the interaction of hepatitis B and aflatoxin in relation to liver cancer.
The other broadly important thing about the 83rd JECFA is that there is a separate chapter on the interaction of fumonisin and aflatoxin. It is clear that co-exposure to fumonisin and aflatoxin is not the exception, rather it is the norm in countries that depend on maize for starch calories in highly affected regions (Africa, parts of Latin America, East Asia). The available evidence in relevant laboratory animals suggested an additive or synergistic effect of fumonisin and aflatoxin co-exposure in the development of pre-cancerous or cancerous lesions.
The team working on the full monograph was ably led by Dr. Angelika Tritscher (WHO) as well as Drs. Markus Lipp and Vittorio Fattori (FAO)." Prof. David Miller, member of the panel of the FAO/WHO report
This study was conducted to investigate the natural co-occurrence of multiple toxic fungal
and bacterial metabolites in sugarcane grass and juice intended for human consumption in Upper
Egypt. Dietary exposure was assessed using a juice frequency questionnaire of adult inhabitants
in Assiut City. The assessment revealed different levels of exposure to AFB1 between males and
females in winter and summer seasons. The estimated seasonal exposure ranged from 0.20 to
0.40 ng/kg b.w./day in winter and from 0.38 to 0.90 ng/kg b.w./day in summer.
During the harvesting time, chewing raw sugarcane is a common practice. In addition, sugarcane juice is considered the most popular fresh juice in Egypt, with cane juice shops spreading through all the Egyptian cities. Indian and Pakistani people share the same habit with Egyptians regarding chewing raw sugarcane and consumption of juice. Apart from its sweet taste and being a source of energy and minerals, sugarcane juice consumption, in traditional medicine, helps in the treatment of many diseases such as jaundice, kidney stones, urogenital tract infections, and in lowering blood pressure, and healing dermal wounds; it is also reported as a natural antioxidant under various experimental conditions.
The study aimed to detect multiple mycotoxins occurring naturally in the sugarcane crop and
juice for the first time. Indeed, the present work will open the door for further studies on the occurrence
of more mycotoxins in this important economic crop. Furthermore, the presence of these metabolites
either in their present (parent) form or in a modified form in the secondary products, which are based
on sugarcane products such as raw sugar, vinegar, alcohol, chipboard, paper, some chemicals, plastics,
paints, fiber, insecticides and detergents and molasses, cannot be excluded.
MYCOKEY aims to deliver by 2019 the first integrated ICT tool to address mycotoxin contamination along the food and feed chain. MycoKey integrates innovative key actions into an user friendly and cheap application, able to provide real-time information and suggestions for mycotoxin management to several stakeholders.
Thanks to the participation of several Chinese partners, it strengthens the global knowledge on mycotoxins as well as the effective cooperation with China. The conference isbe in collaboration with MyToolBox.
The congress is open for all contributions related to the following general topics in mycotoxin research:
An integrated toolbox for mycotoxins management for safer food and feed: the Mytoolbox approach R. Krska (coordinator Mytoolbox, IFA Tulln BOKU, Austria)
Climate change and globalisation: a challenge for EU policy on mycotoxins in feed and food F. Verstraete (EU DG SANCO, Belgium) (see video extract below)
13 September.
MSc student (Asheeqah Cassiem) presenting her poster #GoAshy
First year experience with large-scale application of an Aspergillus
flavus biocontrol agent for aflatoxin prevention in Italian maize
P. Battiliani (Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy)
Effectiveness of agrochemicals in reducing Fusarium verticilloides (sacc.) nirenberg infection and contamination of fumonisins in maize of low land agro-ecosystems in Tanzania R. Madege (Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania)
Effect of feed-borne Fusarium mycotoxins on the gut microbiome composition in broiler chickens and in pigs G. Antonissen (Ghent University, Belgium)
Post-harvest interventions decrease infants’ dietary exposure to aflatoxins and fumonisins in Tanzania: a cluster-randomized controlled trial A. Kamala (Ghent University ; Directorate of Food Safety, Tanzania)
Effect of groundnut drying methods on drying rate and aflatoxin contamination M. Chimbaza (Luanar, Malawi)
Fusarium (modified) mycotoxins in Nigerian sorghum-based beer: natural occurrence and influence of traditional processing methods C. Chilaka (Ghent University, Belgium ; MOUAU University, Nigeria)
14 September.
KEYNOTE: Patrick Njobeh (University of Johannesburg, South-Africa) The socio-economic impact of mycotoxin contamination in Africa Foods such as spices and herbs, which are used throughout food processing are often predisposed to toxigenic fungi. Exposure to these contaminants presents a health hazard to humans, thus, it is imperative to monitor highly-consumed spices for fungal growth with subsequent mycotoxin analysis.
I. Adekoya (University of Johannesburg, South-Africa) Multi-mycotoxin contamination in fermented locust beans (Parkia Biglobosa) and the perception of mycotoxin contamination in Nigerian and South African markets To date, there is little or no information on multiple mycotoxin occurrences in fermented locust beans. In this study, the knowledge of fermented food vendors and processors on fungi and mycotoxin and the occurrence of mycotoxins in fermented locust beans consumed in Nigeria and South Africa were assessed.
Atanda Olusegun (DBS, Nigeria) Risk assessment of mycotoxins associated with consumption of stored maize grains by infants and children in Nigeria Maize is a staple cereal that is used as complimentary or weaning food particularly among infants and young children (IYC) in Nigeria. In this study we determined the Probable Daily Intake (PDI) and characterized the risk assessment of infants and young children to some naturally occurring mycotoxins in stored maize grains from five agro-ecological zones of Nigeria.
Ndemera M. + Nyanga Loveness K. (Institute of Food Nutrition and Family Sciences, University of Zimbabwe) Agronomic Practices and Mycotoxin Contamination in Maize: A Case Study of Subsistence Farming Households in Manicaland and Mashonaland West Provinces of Zimbabwe To fully elucidate and understand maize agronomic practices by Zimbabwean subsistence farming populations an investigative field survey was conducted in the selected provinces of Mashonaland West and Manicaland.
Dr.Michael Sulyok #BOKU giving
a presentation about the analysis
of #mycotoxins in feed
L. Matumba (Luanar, Malawi) Current trends in sample size in mycotoxin analysis in grains: are we measuring accurately? Due to heterogeneous distribution of mycotoxins in food and feed, reliability of analytical measurement is greatly affected by sampling. High concentrations of mycotoxins have been found in individual kernels of corn, peanuts, and cottonseed and tree nuts thus heterogeneity of mycotoxins vary strongly amount of kernels per gram. It is well established that variance of estimated concentrations is inversely proportional to sample size. However, recent years have witnessed a revolution in sample size reduction with most laboratory increasingly grinding less than 1 kg of corn or peanuts, and extracting a sample than 10 g of dry grind. The present paper critically reviews the current trends in the sample sizes, sample grinders used, extraction vessels, etcetera over a period of two decades using selected mycotoxin journals and further compares these parameters against national and regional guidelines.
11 September 2017. Brussels. Developing climate-friendly, energy-efficient and economically-viable solutions require a strong multi-stakeholder network.
Introduction
Etienne Coyette, Head of Sector Climate Change - DEVCO C6 Sustainable Energy, Climate Change
Cornelius Rhein, Policy Officer Montreal Protocol - CLIMA A2 Climate Finance, Mainstreaming, Montreal Protocol
Presentation
Bernhard Siegele, Programme Manager, Proklima International, giz Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH
30 July 2017. This project led by Uganda Christian University (UCU) involves Farmgain Africa, a Ugandan private sector actor and Chain Uganda, a non-governmental organization (NGO) together with the Natural Resources Institute (NRI), University of Greenwich, UK. Also Makarere University is involved in this project.
The main post-harvest technologies being tested are locally available packaging materials and a charcoal cooler.
11 September 2017. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo makes ten million euro available over the next four years for innovative agricultural research conducted by the ‘Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)’, a worldwide network of research centers contributing to enhanced productivity, food security and sustainability in the agriculture. The funding will support, among others, the further development of the banana genebank of the KU Leuven.
”Belgium is an absolute world leader in terms of agricultural research, in the North as much as in the South. Wherever you go in the world, you will find Belgian researchers occupying important positions. In Belgium itself, we host at the KU Leuven an impressive genebank of bananas that helps NGO’s, universities, ministries of agriculture and companies in more than a hundred countries. The promotion of agricultural research is an investment in development with a high return. For each euro invested yearly into agricultural research, you get at least seventeen euros in return.” Alexander De Croo
In line with this new strategy, Minister De Croo makes funding available over the next four years to support the ‘Bioversity ITC banana collection’ at the KU Leuven.
The research center in Leuven is requested to invest specifically in research that can enhance food security and high quality nutrition in the South, including through specific adaptations of banana plants against global warming.
Funds are also made available in order to widen the databank in the future to other crops such as potatoes and other tuber and root crops.
Livelihoods in Central Africa’ (CIALCA). Despite the difficult local circumstances in DRC, Burundi and Rwanda, evaluations have shown that farmers who work with CIALCA fare better financially. In the coming years, the Minister expects CIALCA to get even more involved in supporting private-sector initiatives in agriculture, in diversity that contributes to sustainable food security and in innovation.
The research programme around ‘Policy, Institutions and Markets’ focusses on rural transformation and how it can contribute to inclusive growth. It examines the most cost-efficient way to invest in agriculture, in collaboration with the private sector, and how these investments can create opportunities for small farmers, particularly women and. It also aims at intensifying collaboration between Belgian and local centers of expertise. Rice in Western Africa
Africa Rice, based in Ivory Coast and very active in Western Africa, will receive for the first time in many years support from Belgium. Rice is an important crop in West Africa. With the help of Africa Rice, Belgium hopes that countries in the region will increase their productivity and sustainability in the rice sector.
Belgium is a long-time partner of CGIAR and its sixth European donor. Our country is part of the Board of Directors and makes important contributions to recent reforms. CGIAR has also recently started looking for innovative financing channels and wants to work closer with the private sector, an initiative fully supported by Belgium.
Ruben Goudriaan (eleaf), Natasja van der Vlist (SunCooler), Erna du Plessis (Renlyn Agritech), Bart de Jonghe (Si Technologies International) and Jack Vera, agricultural counsellor at the Embassy of the Netherlands to South Africa
Through the coordination of the Embassy of the Netherlands in Pretoria and the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Cape Town, South Africa, a delegation of 10 Dutch companies and institutions participated in the conference.
Westcape Biotech is a commercial biotechnology company located outside of Stellenbosch in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Westcape Biotech is a fully owned subsidiary of South African based Westcape Holdings (Pty) Ltd. Westcape Holdings is joint venture company between Enza Zaden B.V. (Netherlands), Expressive Research B.V. (Netherlands) and Expressive SA (Pty) Ltd.The company provides advanced molecular biology and plant tissue culture services to local and international clients in the plant Agricultural sector
Wageningen UR is a research institution that focuses on the domain ‘healthy food and living conditions’.
Si Technologies International B.V. strives to improve smallholders lives in using a patented technology to manufacture and distribute the only silicon based product that is directly available to plants. The product ‘NewSil’ is a foliar spray that fires up the plants’ natural defense system against biotic and abiotic stress.
Delphy is a renowned, independent advisory and research partner in horticulture.
eLEAF is a Dutch high-tech company that pioneers in operational satellite based solutions
PlantLab provides turnkey solutions for indoor vertical farming by making use of its own developed growing recipes, production methods, technology and software
Rijk Zwaan Zaadteelt en Zaadhandel B.V. is a Dutch vegetable breeding and seed production company
Ludvig Svensson is the pioneer and world leader in climate control and energy efficiency through
textile-based solutions, creating excellent conditions for
better and greater production
Aart van den Bos,
social entrepreneur
in greenhouses all over the world.
Renlyn group and Bosman Van Zaal work together in a business partnership. Based on in-house engineering and manufacturing the Dutch company Bosman Van Zaal provides turnkey production concepts and customized systems for producers of vegetables and floricultural crops in the Protected Horticulture worldwide.
The SunCooler (see picture) is the ideal solution for static storage. It is a mobile cooling device that cools fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, dairy or medicines in a cheap, sound and sustainable way on the spot. There is no need for fuel, generator, grid or even batteries. The Sun is the one and only free source.
These are among the leading Dutch origin companies and institutions in Climate Smart agriculture across the globe. Their participation included exhibitions of their technologies at the Netherlands Pavilion and presentations at the workshop organized by the Embassy. The Embassy’s main theme at the conference is “Climate Smart Agriculture: Focus on technology”.
Since June 2017, the Embassy has been conducting a study on the gaps between technologies available and the use of these in South Africa on Climate Smart agriculture. This study seeks to investigate and understand opportunities to co-create sustainable solutions for local challenges in the agricultural sector. Key findings from this study were shared at the conference.
Partnerships are crucial, and social media allows farmers across the world to learn from climate smart agriculture best practices through knowledge bases like http://www.greenagri.org.za/ and https://waterwindow.nl/.
As part of the effort to support sustainable and inclusive growth and innovation in the agricultural sector, the Embassy and the Consulate General have also incorporated a students’ programme to its 2017 PMA activities. The Embassy has supported the young professional breakfast event at which the PMA will invite notable motivational speakers for the youth aspiring and studying to be agricultural entrepreneurs. The Embassy has sponsored two students from the Netherlands to share experiences with and learn from leading entrepreneurs and fellow South African students at the conference and during the week in an extended program. These activities also seeks to cultivate the spirit of business to business co-creation among the South African and Dutch agricultural business players of the future.
1 September 2017. Montpellier, France. Decisions taken by CGIAR’s 15 international agricultural research centers in July 2017 to appoint nine voting members of the CGIAR System Management Board paved the way for the appointment of two external independent members into key CGIAR System roles through June 2019. As a self-governing board of the CGIAR System Organization, the CGIAR System Management board is responsible for providing strategic direction, effective governance and leadership.
Marco Ferroni accepted the role of Chair of the System Management Board and Kanayo F. Nwanze, the first CGIAR global ambassador.
Ferroni is stepping down from his ten-year term as Executive Director of the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture on 31 August, and assumes the role of Chair of the System Management Board the following day. In addition to his work at the Syngenta Foundation, Ferroni has served in high-level positions at the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank and held managerial and strategic advisory positions in the Swiss Government.
Nwanze, the immediate past and 5th President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and a former director general at AfricaRice, will serve as the Board’s first global ambassador focused on system-level resource mobilization and engagement efforts.
Center-affiliated members
Geoff Hawtin (CIAT Board of Trustees Chair)
Martin Kropff (Director General of CIMMYT)
Gordon McNeil (AfricaRice Board of Trustees member)
Jimmy Smith (Director General of ILRI)
Margret Thalwitz (ICARDA Board of Trustees Chair)
Ann Tutwiler (Director General of Bioversity)
Barbara Wells (Director General of CIP)
Ex-officio Non-Voting Member
Elwyn Grainger-Jones (Executive Director, CGIAR System Organization)
Over 80 organisations across 10 partner countries have initiated a total of 17 Geodata for Agriculture and Water Facility (G4AW) projects. They are building business models for public/private partnerships to deliver financially sustainable services. Involved organisations are using existing technology and services, empowering the most important actors in the food production chain: farmers, fishermen and pastoralists.
GIACIS(Ethiopia),G4INDO(Indonesia) and SUM-Africa(Mali, Uganda) aim to guarantee income of and investments by small holder food producers.
CommonSense supports sesame producers in Ethiopia by providing weather and agro-advisory services.
CROPMON in Kenya builds a crop monitoring system to alert farmers about non optimal growth conditions.
Smallholder farmers in Bangladesh will benefit from GEOBIS’ as well as IDSS’ agricultural advice, and GEOPOTATO to prevent potato disease.
In Vietnam, resilience of rice producing communities will be improved by Sat4Rice and
GREENcoffee will help Vietnamese coffee farmers improve their production, income and food security.
SMART seeds will support vegetable farmers in Indonesia to increase their production and reduce the inputs of water, fertilizer and pesticides.
MUIIS will help increase crops of maize, soy bean and sesame in Uganda, combined with insurance for farmers.
MODHEM improves moving herd management and incomes for Burkina Faso’s pastoralists.
In Mali, STAMP aims to improve resilience among climate affected pastoralists. Ensuring local food security is R4A’s goal, through activation of a digital information portal supported by a participatory model.
Geodatics helps farmers and agribusiness clients to optimise their business activities.
Please see the project leaflets to learn more about the ways G4AW projects help to improve food security.
Related:
23 August, 2017. Tanzania. The International Center for Evaluation and Development (ICED) and Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Tanzania signed a Memorandum of Understanding signifying the birth of a strategic partnership between the two organizations.
The MOU was signed by ICED President and CEO, Dr. David Ameyaw and Vice Chancellor of Sokoine University of Agriculture, Prof. Raphael Chibunda.
Under this partnership, ICED and SUA will work together in the following areas:
Obtain resources from public, donors, private and philanthropic foundations and grants.
Jointly develop proposals to secure resources for the partnership work.
Parties will use the funds in accordance with the laid down agreement.
Other areas of cooperation include:
Identification of project.
Agree on the scope of work.
ICED President Dr. David Ameyaw, (2nd left) and Dr. Adam Meshack Akyoo, Dean of the Department of Agriculture Economic and Agribusiness , Sokoine University of Agriculture, (2nd right) pose for a photo after signing the MOU. Looking on are Vice President Samuel Boakye (right)
Continuously evaluate new opportunities, identify sources of capital and advocate policy changes, which promote and attract financing for evaluators.
The Chief Executive Officer and President of ICED, Dr. David Ameyaw said the new partnership is expected to evaluate and monitor Government projects. (...) Rice Farmers in Sagcot to benefit from Market Survey. ICED, supported by Sokoine University of Agriculture lead Researcher. Prof Damian M. Gabagambi and a team of supervisors and enumerators has undertaken a Market Survey for the SAGCOT Integrated Knowledge and Information for Agriculture.
The project is being funded by Geodata for Agriculture and Water Facility (G4AW), and The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and implemented by TechForce Innovations B.V., Milan Innovincy B.V., Kadaster International and Kilimo Trust. They are being supported by a host of other organizations in Tanzania.
More than 125,000 small holder rice farmers are set to benefit from this survey, whose main goal is to analyze the importance of information services acquired from satellite geodata (environmental, weather, crop status via radar data, and plot boundaries information) as well as data acquired under the clouds (multispectral agronomic information) and web-based information. The survey also targets small-holder farmers and agribusinesses.
When completed and implemented, it is hoped that the information gathered will increase yields, incomes and better the lives of farmers in this region. The report on the Market survey is expected to be out in September, 2017.
Related:
10 to 11 August, 2017. The International Center for Evaluation and Development (ICED) and Ghana Ministry of Monitoring and Evaluation held a two day monitoring and evaluation workshop for M&E officers.
The workshop was to develop the Government Results Framework for 2017-2020 based on strategic priorities and outcomes, was attended by 40 participants drawn from 36 ministries in Ghana.
UPCOMING EVENTS 24th-25th September, 2017. TANZANIA. Systematic Training in Tanzania 12th – 17th September, 2017. Global Evidence Summit in Cape Town
12 September 2017. Brussels. InfoPoint Lunchtime conference and screening: Nowhere to Run
Nigeria faces a looming climate and environmental crisis that it can no longer afford to ignore. Nowhere to Run: Nigeria's Climate and Environmental Crisis explores the creeping effects of climate change and unchecked environmental degradation that pose major socio-economic, political and sustainable development challenges to communities across Nigeria, whose population is projected to reach 450 million by 2050.
Introduction:
Michel Arrion, Former EU Ambassador to Nigeria
Discussion:
Amara Nwankpa, Director, Public Policy Initiative,
Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Foundation
Jacqueline Farris Executive Producer and Director General, Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Foundation
Nowhere to Run: Nigeria's Climate and Environmental Crisis tell the story of environmental threats and unique challenges to security in Nigeria from the perspective of affected communities. Produced by Jacqueline Farris, of the Yar'Adua Foundation, Narrated by Late Ken Saro-Wiwa Jr. and Directed by Dan McCain of Core Productions, the film connects the dots between climate change, environmental degradation and security and serves as an advocacy tool to raise awareness of the defining challenge of our time.
This Summit was organised in fulfilment of a manifesto pledge by H.E President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, to engage Ghanaians Living Abroad in the transformation of the political and socio-economic structure of Ghana.
The purpose of the Summit was:
to bring the Ghanaian Diaspora together to dialogue on how to achieve the President's vision of active participation by Diasporans in the economic development of the country and to fully integrate them into the political processes.
The Summit also aimed to attract the full participation of Ghanaians Living Abroad in Private Enterprise by bringing them together with local businesses.
The Summit was divided into three areas:
First Day: Entrepreneurial Ghana - Investment opportunities etc
Second Day: Human Resource Marketplace - Employment opportunities etc.
Third Day: Political Inclusion of the Ghanaian Diaspora - Ropal etc.
Keynote Speaker: H.E PRESIDENT AKUFO ADDO, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA
OTHER SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
H.E. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President.
Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, Finance Minister Mrs. Charlotte Osei, Chairperson - Electoral Commissioner
Other Ministers,
Captains of Industry and Banking. Leading and Successful Ghanaians Living Abroad and Returnees
In July, SNV, in partnership with AGRA under the Programme for Rural Outreach of Financial Innovations and Technologies (PROFIT), organized a ‘match-making’ event in Meru County, Kenya that brought together farmers from the region, financial institutions and SMEs. The objective of the event was to provide a forum for discussion between the farmers and SMEs on one hand and the financial institutions on the other thereby enabling each side to understand the critical issues impeding access to finance.
Present at the event were livestock farmers (cattle, goats, poultry, fish and bees), input suppliers, market intermediaries and financial service providers. The event provided a platform for smallholder farmers, financial institutions, input suppliers and SMEs to interact and explore opportunities for stimulating access to and utilization of innovative financial services and technologies in livestock sub-sectors. This is in line with one of AGRF’s passion point of financial inclusion for farmers. While financial institutions are key in mobilizing private financing necessary for a sustainable agriculture transformation, equally is the need to provide technical assistance for business services in helping smallholder farmers to enhance their productivity, linkages with markets and finance. This is what PROFIT aims to achieve.
PROFIT program is an intervention funded by IFAD through the Government of Kenya and implemented in partnership with AGRA. SNV has been contracted by AGRA to provide technical assistance to 8,250 smallholder farmers in the livestock value chain within Meru and Isiolo Counties. The aim of the intervention is to increase access to and utilization of innovative financial products and services by smallholder livestock farmers.
4-8 September 2017. Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. African Green Revolution Forum 2017. The theme for the seventh “2017” AGRF is “Accelerating Africa’s Path to Prosperity: Growing Inclusive Economies and Jobs through Agriculture”.
The African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) is a platform for global and African leaders to develop actionable plans that will move African agriculture forward. Established in 2010, the Forum has emerged as Africa’s premier platform that brings together a range of critical stakeholders in the African agriculture landscape to discuss and develop concrete plans for achieving the green revolution in Africa.
The Forum is technically and financially supported by an AGRF Partnership Group that includes: the African Union Commission, the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Rockefeller Foundation, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), IDRC, YARA International, Mastercard Foundation, SACAU Groupe OCP Africa, Syngenta, the African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership, GROW AFRICA, AGCO Corporation and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). AGRA is the implementing partner for the Forum and hosts the Secretariat at its head offices in Nairobi, Kenya.
Extracts of the programme:
4 September.IDRC Side Event (Closed)
PRE- EVENT: Dialogue on Research to Support Agricultural Transformation in Francophone
Countries of West and Central Africa
This all day session has a separate program that examines the transformations under- way in
West African agriculture, and the challenges faced by smallholder production systems.
4 September. PRE- EVENT Agripreneurship, Enterprise Development and Access to
Finance and Youth Leveraging Agricultural Research, Technology and
Innovation to Grow Agribusiness - AfDB, FAO, IGD, SACAU Session 1:
Dr. Daniel Karanja, Vice-President, IGD (moderator)
Dr. Chiji Ojukwu, Director, Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department, AfDB
Mr. Amadou Fall, Vice President and Managing Director, Africa NBA
Mr. Edson Mpyisi, Ag. Coordinator, ENABLE Youth, AfDB
Dr. Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg, Director, AWARD (moderator)
Ms. Vanessa Moungar, Director, Gender, Women and Civil Society,
AfDB PANELISTS
Mr. Peter Awin, Founder, Cow Tribe (Ghana)
Mr. Japhet Sekenya, Chief Executive Officer, BIOTET (Tanzania)
Mr. Tendai Mugovi, Founder, Sorghum World (Zimbabwe)
Ms. Oluwayimika “Angel” Adelaja, Founder, Fresh Direct (Nigeria)
Mr. Ken Lohento, ICT for Agric. Program Coordinator, CTA
Mr. Ishmael Sunga, Chief Executive Officer, SACAU
Ms. Emanuela Gregorio, Economist, Department of Gender, AfDB DEMOSTRATION OF FOOD CUISINE PLATFORM
5 September. Pre-event. Launch of the 2017 Africa Agriculture Status Report: The Business of Smallholder in sub Saharan Agriculture.
KEYNOTE: Dr. Kanayo F. Nwanze, 2016 Africa Food Prize Winner and AGRA Board Member
PANELISTS
Dr. John Ulimwengu, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI
Sir Gordon Conway, Director of Agriculture for Impact and Professor of International Development, Imperial College London
Ms. Maimouna Coulibaly, Founder, Faso Kaba
Mr. Karim Sy, Founder, Jokko Labs
5 September. PRE-EVENT Evidence and Policy Dialogue for Better Outcomes in Agriculture and Food Security in Africa - The imperatives of Improving Nutrition for Africa’s Growth and Development - Malabo Montpellier. Launch of new MaMoReport ‘Nourished: How Africa Can Build A Future Free from Hunger & Malnutrition’
Dr. Ousmane Badiane, Africa Director, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
and Malabo Montpellier (Panel MODERATOR)
Dr. Agnes Kalibata, President, AGRA (Panel Co-Chair)
H.E. Jakaya Kikwete, former President of Tanzania (KEYNOTE)
Dr. Kanayo Nwanze, former President of IFAD (KEYNOTE)
Prof. Sheryl Hendriks, University of Pretoria (KEYNOTE)
Dr. Debisi Araba, Africa Director, International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
Mr. Tom Arnold, former Director General IIEA and former SUN Coordinator
Ms. Nachilala Nkombo, Interim Executive Director for Africa, ONE
Dr. Joachim von Braun, Professor University of Bonn and Malabo Montpellier Panel Co-chair
5 September. PRE-EVENT: Next Generation Agriculture Fair - SACAU, AfDB, FAO, CTA and AGRA
This session has a separate program that includes a youth fair that showcases several
organizations.
Participants will rove between institutional presentations after the panel discussion.
Dr. Joachim von Braun, Professor University of Bonn and Malabo Montpellier Panel Co-chair
Ms. Awa Caba, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Sooretul
Mr. Santiago Alba-Corral, Associate Director, Food Security, IDRC
Dr. Mima Nedelcovych, President and Chief Executive Officer, IGD
Ms. Isolina Boto, Manager, Brussels Office, CTA
Ms. Jenne van der Mheen, Manager International Cooperation Africa Wageningen UR
Mr. Sambou Coly, Program Manager, Finacial Inclusion, Mastercard Foundation
Ms. Tacko Ndiaye, Senior Officer for Gender, Equality and Rural Development, FAO Africa Region
7 September. Session. Post-Harvest Management and Ensuring Quantity, Quality, and Standards
for Market - Rockefeller Foundation
Mr. Edward Rege, Founder, PICO (moderator)
H.E Josefa Sacko, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union
Mr. Mamadou Biteye, Managing Director, Africa Rockefeller Foundation
Dr. Chiji Chinedum Ojukwu, Director, Agriculture and Agro Industry, AfDB
Dr. Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, Vice President, Country Support and Delivery, AGRA
Mr. Bukar Tijani, Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, FAO
Mr. Bhubinder Singh, Chief Executive Officer, Agro Z Textiles Limited
Mr. Abdou Matieyedou Kolambique, Managing Director Aflasafe Technology Transfer and Commercialisation Program, IITA
Prof. Dembélé Ardjouma, Director General, National Laboratory for Agricultural Development
7 September. Session. Increasing the Pool for Agriculture Focused Blended Finance: A Catalyst for Accelerated Transformation in African Agriculture - AfDB and AGRA
Mr. Sean de Cleene, Vice President, Business Development and Strategic Partnerships, AGRA (moderator)
Mr. Joost Oorthuizen, Chief Executive Officer, IDH
Mr. Niraj Shah, Senior Investment Officer Global Agribusiness Group, IFC
Mr. Leonard Mizzi, Head of Unit, Rural Development, Food Security, and Nutrition, European Union Commission
Mr. Stuart Bradley, Founding Partner, Phatisa Private Equity Fund
Mr. Chris Clubb, Chief Executive Officer, Convergence Mr. Peter Van As, Senior Partner and Chief Portfolio Officer, Phatisa Private Equity Fund
Ms. Carolin Gunmans, Senior Consultant, Enclude
Mr. Michael Hamp, Senior Technical Advisor, IFAD
Ms. Jenny Sharrarr, Investment Officer, KfW
Dr. Pierre Ackah Angniman, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister, FIRCA
8 September. Session. The Digital Revolution and African Agriculture Theme: Harnessing the Digital Revolution for Agricultural Transformation AGRF Talks on Big Data, ICT, Geo Spatial Technology and The Future of Farming in Africa
Dr. Lee H. Babcock, Researcher, Agricultural Head of Grameen Foundation and Former ICT4Ag (moderator)
Dr. Debisi Araba, Regional Director, Africa, CIAT
Ms. Liisa Petrykowska, Chief Executive Officer, Ignitia
Mr. Ayodeji Balogun, Country Manager, AFEX Nigeria Ms.Esi Nana Sekyiamah, M.D, Tulaa in Ghana
Mr. Michael Hailu, Director, CTA
Ms. Salah Goss, Vice President - International Development, Mastercard
Dr. Ramadjita Tabo, Director, ICRISAT
M. Soro Kypea, Directeur général, Agence Nationale du Service Universel des Télé-communications (ANSUT)
Hon. Willy Bett, Minister of Agriculture, Republic of Kenya
Mr. Stephen Muchiru, Chief Executive Officer, EAFF
