Side-event to EU-Africa HLPD on role of STI in promoting Food Security

28 November 2013. Brussels. The event focused on bi-regional STI cooperation in promoting food security. This half-day side event, focused on the role of STI in promoting food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture.

The event was organised alongside the EU-Africa High Level Policy Dialogue on Science, Technology and Innovation in Brussels. Several events took place the same week, for more information click here.

The programme provided an overview of existing and promising joint EU-Africa science, technology and innovation initiatives in the field of food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture like:

Philip C Stevenson (NRI)
presenting ADAPTT

1. PAEPARD: Platform for African European Partnership on Agricultural Research for Development. Funded by the Food Security Thematic Programme of the EU’s Development Cooperation Instrument, and erected under the EU’s 6th Framework Programme. 
2. The Sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Programme of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, led by the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA). Funded by a consortium of donors. 
3. ADAPPT: African Dryland Alliance for Pesticidal-Plant Technologies: A network for optimising
   
   and promoting the use of indigenous botanical knowledge for food security and poverty alleviation in Africa. Funded by the ACP-EU Cooperation Programme in Science and Technology. 
4. CAAST-NET Plus: Advancing SSA-EU cooperation in research and innovation for global challenges. Funded by the EU’s 7th Framework Programme. IntensAfrica: A research partnership between Europe and Africa on sustainable intensification of agri-food systems. 
5. IntensAfrica: A research partnership between Europe and Africa on sustainable intensification of agri-food systems.



Philippe Petithuguenin (CIRAD)
presenting IntensAfrica

6. Validation and dissemination of bio intensive eco-friendly management strategies for thrips – a critical constraint to cowpea production in Africa. Funded by the African Union Research Grants Programme.

Below is the presentation made by PAEPARD:

Related:

29 November 2013, Brussels Belgium. The European and African Union Commissions held the 2nd High Level Policy Dialogue with a special focus on the role of science, technology and innovation in ensuring “Food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture (including water)”. An integrated approach is taken recognising the important cross-cutting nature of innovation/ entrepreneurship, research infrastructures and technical competence building.

Agricultural sector occupies a pivotal and central position in Africa's social and economic development dynamics. The dialogue expressed a strong conviction that science and technology can bring about enhanced productive and efficient food and agricultural sector on the continent which is central for economic growth, wealth creation, food and nutrition security, as well as political stability. In 2003 the Heads of State and Government launched the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), as a common framework for boosting agriculture on the continent, through strategic investment plans and programmes.

See also SciDev article 08/12/2013: Africa and EU team up on food and farming research

Joint Press Release (En)

STI Study Final Report (En)

See reference to PAEPARD on p.34 + p.49

Concept Note (En)

Side Event Abstracts

See reference to PAEPARD from page 2 to page 4.

Agenda for the Side Event (En)

See reference to PAEPARD on page 2

Draft Conclusions (En)

The Way Forward- Annex to the Draft Conclusions (En)

The ‘way forward’ sets out the short-, medium- and long-term steps and milestones towards the implementation of a long-term jointly funded research and innovation partnership (flagship) between the EU and Africa. As a first priority area of Cooperation, “food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture” has been chosen.

Medium-term milestone (by end 2017)
The establishment of a framework of enhanced coordination in the domain of STI for food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture, making the landscape less scattered, increasing coherence, scale and impact while building on existing efforts (e.g. through clustering) and promoting synergy between and co-ownership of all stakeholders and financing instruments. Therefore, this medium-term partnership could be based on the era-net model following the successful example of the ERAfrica project or any alternative model that serves the purpose and has proven impact. 

One week of Brussels-based events (En)

Terms of Reference for the Senior Officials Meeting (En)

Agenda for the EU-Africa High Level Policy Dialogue (En)