Integrated Systems Research for Sustainable Intensification in Smallholder Agriculture

3-6 March 2015. Ibadan Nigeria. IITA headquarters.

This 4-day conference organized by CGIAR Research Program on Humidtropics opens in Nigeria today 03/03/2015.

Humidtropics, in collaboration with Dryland Systems and Aquatic Agricultural Systems (AAS), is organizing an international conference on integrated systems research. Entitled Integrated Systems Research for Sustainable Intensification in Smallholder Agriculture, the conference will deal with major components within systems research in agriculture. The purpose of the conference is to learn from research undertakings on integrated systems, with an emphasis on results: data, methods and lessons learned.

Conference outcomes:

• Demonstrate and share experiences and evidence to the effect that Systems Approaches in agriculture research are effective and contribute to livelihoods and natural resource management;
• Share methods, tools and research approaches used in Systems Research;
• Explore opportunities for new partnerships in Systems Research for development;
• Identify opportunities for cross-system learning, and methods to do this effectively;
• Special peer-reviewed publication.

Core questions to be addressed include:

• How to move systems concepts into practice?
• How do we move to scale and impact with systems research and development?
• What is the value added of that approach? Why is Systems Research needed to achieve this?

See the full programme here
See Conference Program &Book of Abstracts 66 pages

The first day included a webcast with the following speakers (live stream):

• Dr. Nteranya Sanginga, Director General, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) 
• Dr. Kwesi Atta-Krah, Director, CGIAR Research Program on Integrated Systems for the Humid Tropics (Humidtropics) 
• Dr. Yemi Akinbamijo, Executive Director, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) 
• Dr. Frank Rijsberman, Chief Executive Officer, CGIAR Consortium 
• Ann Tutwiler, Director General, Bioversity International 
• Prof. David W. Norman, Professor Emeritus, Kansas State University: Historical Trajectory of Farming Systems Research: Past, Present and Future 
• Dr. Bernard Hubert, President, Agropolis International: Systems Thinking toward Institutional Innovation and Change 
• Cynthia McDougall, Senior Scientist, Gender & Equity Theme Leader, WorldFish and Aquatic Agricultural Systems (AAS): Gender in Integrated Systems Research 
• Dr. Marie de Lattre-Gasquet, Senior Foresight Scientist, CGIAR Consortium: Facilitating Changes in Complex Humid Systems: Role of Foresight in Agricultural Research for Development

Videos of Key note speakers:

Integrated Systems Conference Opening Address Yemi Akinbamijo from Humidtropics on Vimeo.

Integrated Systems Conference Keynote Linley Chiwona Karltun from Humidtropics on Vimeo.

Integrated Systems Conference Keynote Dennis Garrity from Humidtropics on Vimeo.

Integrated Systems Conference Keynote Cynthia McDougall from Humidtropics on Vimeo.

Integrated Systems Conference Keynote Bernard Hubert from Humidtropics on Vimeo.

Integrated Systems Conference Opening Address Nteranya Sanginga from Humidtropics on Vimeo.

Integrated Systems Conference Opening Address Kwesi Atta-Krah from Humidtropics on Vimeo.

Integrated Systems Conference Opening Address Frank Rijsberman from Humidtropics on Vimeo.

Integrated Systems Conference Keynote David W Norman from Humidtropics on Vimeo.

Integrated Systems Conference Keynote Marie de Lattre-Gasquet from Humidtropics on Vimeo.

Integrated Systems Conference Opening Address Ann Tutwiler from Humidtropics on Vimeo.

During her visit to Nigeria, M. Ann Tutwiler also featured on a TV programme, Earth File: Increasing Food Production Through Systemic Farming, shown on Nigeria's Channels TV. The programme featured comments given at a press briefing as part of the conference, where Tutwiler also stressed the importance of agricultural biodiversity as part of integrated system research approaches:

"We at Bioversity International believe that agricultural biodiversity - at the genetic level, the species level and the landscape level - is very important to helping us improve productivity over the long-term by providing genetic resources, helping to manage agricultural pests and diseases, by using diversity within species and ensuring landscapes can provide nutrition and improve our environmental quality. This systems thinking is, I think, really important to helping us resolve the very complex challenges of our time."

Watch the speech here

Watch the TV programme (in total 25 mins)
Part 1 (M. Ann Tutwiler at 5.50-7:15 mins)
Part 2

Read the press release from the Integrated Systems Research for Sustainable Intensification in Smallholder Agriculture Conference - 'Scientists call for systems research in agriculture to realize the sustainable goals