Thursday, August 31, 2023

Recordings and reports August

Reports:

ACB (2023) Seed Harmonisation in Eastern and Southern Africa. Failures, neo-colonial agendas, and the rise of digitalised seed trade: dire implications for farmer managed seed and food systems in Africa, p. 31

Food Plant Solutions (2022) Potentially Important Food Plants of Zimbabwe. 72 p.

Prolinnova (2023) Linking with universities and research institutions in promotingfarmer-led participatory innovation development in ecologically orientedagriculture and natural resource management, 28 p


Recordings:

22 – 24 August 2023. XV BRICS Summit & agriculture
The business forum saw representatives from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. They highlight key issues such as enhancing agricultural trade within the bloc along with developing small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) and economic cooperation.

20 - 24 August 2023.World Water Week 2023
Aiming to explore innovative ways to tackle the global water crisis, World Water Week 2023 was housed for the first time in Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre. World Water Week welcomed participants from all over the world to join hands for a better water future.

Potentially Important Food Plants of Zimbabwe

Food Plant Solutions (2022) Potentially Important Food Plants of Zimbabwe. 72 p.

This book is designed as a simple introduction to the more common food plants of Zimbabwe. It is hoped people will take greater pride and interest in these plants and become confident and informed about how to grow and use them. 

Many of the local food plants that occur in every country are very good quality food. Unfortunately, people often reject traditional food plants and grow more of the introduced vegetables. The principle behind Food Plant Solutions is to encourage the use of local plants.

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Seed Harmonisation in Eastern and Southern Africa

ACB (2023) Seed Harmonisation in Eastern and Southern Africa. Failures, neo-colonial agendas, and the rise of digitalised seed trade: dire implications for farmer managed seed and food systems in Africa, p. 31

Regional seed policy harmonisation processes on seed and plant variety protection (PVP) legislation have been underway for the past 15 years on the African continent. These have taken place under the auspices of various regional economic communities (RECs), including the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), East Africa Community (EAC), and regional organisations such as the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO). 

These processes have now moved to the continental level under the African Union (AU) and are further linked with the wider industrialisation plan under Agenda 2063 and the ambitious African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). These aim to provide the political and institutional framework for regional seed trade across the continent.

This paper follows up on the previous extensive body of research and advocacy undertaken by the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) and numerous African CSOs over the last decade, especially while focusing also on emerging issues and challenges.

The authors recommend:
  1. Policymakers must prioritise agroecology and FMSS, which promote social justice and environmental sustainability rather than pursuing a one-size-fits-all extractive industrial model, which favours multinational seed companies and the private sector. In this regard, it is crucial that they prioritise public investments in food and seed systems that sustain and conserve agricultural biodiversity, support smallholder farmers, and align with Afrocentric approaches to minimise harm to the continent’s agricultural fragile ecology.
  2. Governments should urgently rethink the trajectory of seed harmonisation and demand that any funding for regional harmonisation processes is directed towards supporting systems’ change at the national, regional, and continental levels, towards ecologically sustainable and socially just and equitable seed, food, and agricultural systems.
  3. African governments who have not yet ratified the SADC and Arusha PVP Protocols should refrain from doing so and uphold the rights of small-scale farmers to their resources, including their seed, seed systems and knowledge systems.
  4. In regard to the development of the IP Protocol of the AfCFTA, we urge member states of the AU to exempt least-developed countries from implementing the Protocol, in line with the extension granted to them until 2034 to implement their obligations under the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Further, the development of the PVP Annex must ensure the democratic participation of African CSOs, especially small-scale farmers, and it must expressly not be based on UPOV 1991.
  5. Regarding the digitalisation of the seed system, stringent regulations should be put in place to safeguard data privacy, transparency, and the rights of farmers and citizens, and national sovereignty, and measures must be put in place to restrict the privatisation of data.

Monday, August 28, 2023

Webinars September 2023

29 August 2023. 13:00-15:00 CEST. Global Webinar on Digital Innovations and Solutions for Agriculture Extension.
  • GFRAS is conducting a workstream entitled “Contemporary Digital Innovations and Solutions for Agricultural Extension
31 August 2023, 4 pm. Agroecology as a Social Movement: Empowering Communities and Transforming Food Systems

1-2 September 2023. Nairobi, Kenya
www: https://www.uneca.org/eca-events/CCDA-XI

1 September 2023. Food Security Trends and Resilience-Building Priorities
  • Co-organized by IFPRI, the CGIAR, and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
4 - 8 September 2023. Africa Climate Week (ACW 2023) + African Climate Action Summit
  • The Africa Climate Action Summit is being co-hosted by the Government of Kenya and the African Union Commission and is co-convened by the African Development Bank and GCA.
  • The Summit will coalesce partners, including international financial institutions and the private sector, around accelerating adaptation financing and climate action leading into the United Nations Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit and COP28.
  • ACW 2023 will be organized into four systems-based tracks, each focusing on specific themes: Energy systems and industry. Cities, urban and rural settlements, infrastructure and transport. Land, ocean, food and water.
See the main programme 
  • 04/09 Climate innovation in agriculture - practical solutions and lessons to be shared from Israel
  • 04/09 AB Testing for Farming - Unlocking Transformation of Smallholder Livelihoods in Africa
  • 05/09 @11:45 - 12:15 CEST (10:45 - 11:15 EAT) Just Transition: Panacea for Africa’s climate, energy and development agenda
  • 06/09 @11:30 - 12:30 CEST (10:30 - 11:30 EAT) The Connections Between Food Security and Climate
  • 06/09 @15:00 - 16:00 CEST (14:00 - 15:00 EAT) Science and Practice: Water-Food-Energy nexus for resilient conservation landscapes
  • 06/09 @16:30 - 17:30 CEST (15:30 - 16:30 EAT) Learning to Build Better Food Systems through the Africa Sustainable Commodities Initiative – a regional multi-stakeholder platform in West & Central Africa
  • 07/09 @10:00 - 10:30 CEST (09:00 - 09:30 EAT) Safeguarding human and animal health in a changing environment
  • 07/09 @ 12:30 - 13:00 CEST (11:30 - 12:00 EAT) Considering GST outcomes to drive nature-positive climate action in Africa
  • 07/09 @13:00 - 14:00 CEST (12:00 - 13:00 EAT) Unlocking Nature based solutions for transformative climate adaptation in Africa
  • 07/09 @14:30 - 15:30 CEST (13:30 - 14:30 EAT) Nature as the Backbone for Climate and Biodiversity Solution
  • 07/09 Adapting Agrifood Systems and Ensuring Food Security in Africa Amidst Climate Change
  • 07/09 @16:00 - 17:00 CEST (15:00 - 16:00 EAT) Agroecology as a Pathway for Climate change Adaptation and Mitigation
  • 07/09 @16:00 - 17:00 CEST (15:00 - 16:00 EAT) Supporting smallholder climate adaptation from seeds to basin
  • 07/09 @15:30-16:30 CEST (16:30-17:30 EAT) Leveraging finance and investments for food systems adaptation in Africa
  • 07/09 @16:30 - 17:30 CEST (16:30 - 17:30 EAT) Walking the talk : Advancing smallholder farmers land rights for climate adaptation and resilience
  • 07/09 @16:30 - 17:30 CEST (16:30 - 17:30 EAT) Climate Change and Food Security: The contribution of pastoralism through sustainable management of rangelands across the Horn of Africa: How improved pastoralism can contribute to increased food security, climate adaptation and mitigation.
  • 08/09 @11:30 - 12:30 CEST (10:30 - 11:30 EAT) From Farm to Fork – what is required to pivot agriculture and food systems towards food secure, regenerative, climate resilient outcomes - Event of the Climate Champions
  • 08/09 @14:30 - 15:30 CEST (13:30 - 14:30 EAT) CompensACTION: Mobilizing carbon finance for food security and environmental benefits

Extracts of the side events ACW 2023

  • 06/09 7:00 - 8:00 AM  by Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), P4G and Danish Embassy  Accelerating green business models through public private partnership - P4G contributes to green and inclusive growth in developing countries by supporting businesses to become investment ready and supporting country climate transitions in food, water and energy systems.
  • 07/09 10:00 - 11:00 AM by ILRI: P4G contributes to green and inclusive growth in developing countries by supporting businesses to become investment ready and supporting country climate 

5 September 2023 @ 11:00 to 12:30 EAT.
Charting the pathway towards an inclusive green transition
  • To attend online, please join by clicking on  this link
  • The role of local digital innovations in driving climate action
  • launch of the upcoming digital green innovation challenge DGIx, an acceleration programme by WFP Innovation Accelerator and #SDF
  • The #SDF is a program of the German Development Cooperation GIZ, under the patronage of the BMZ, EC, and "Team Europe" partners from other European Union Member States. 
  • With the primary goal of scaling digital innovations globally, the #SDF is committed to supporting innovators in accelerating their digital initiatives, including tech start-ups, digital entrepreneurs, NGOs, and social businesses, with particular emphasis on youth and women empowerment.
5 - 8 September 2023. Africa's Food Systems Forum 2023 Summit’s theme, “Recover, Regenerate, Act: Africa’s Solutions to Food Systems Transformation

  • 04/09 08:30 – 10:00 AIM for Climate: Making investments in climate-smart innovation count for women Organizer: USAID
  • 04/09 08:30 – 10:00 : Putting greens and beans at the center of nutritious and resilient food systems Organizers: World Vegetable Centre, PABRA
  • 04/09 08:30 – 12:30 : Youth in agri-food systems: Opportunities and Gaps? Organizer: FAO, CGIAR GENDER IMPACT PLATFORM, SACAU, AGRA
  • 04/09 9:00 – 10:30 : Investing in Women – an AECF initiative to support transformation for women in agriculture Organizer: AECF
  • 04/09 10:00 – 12:00 : Financing Seed Companies Organizer: CESSA
  • 04/09 10:45 – 12:15 : Financing Farmers Organizations for Resilience Organizer: IFAD, SAFIN, AFEX
  • 04/09 11:00 – 12:30 : Policy Prioritization through Value-Chain Analysis: public-private partnerships in policymaking, implementation, competitiveness, and investment. Organizer: RENAPRI
  • 04/09 11:00 – 12:30 : Agri-innovations for transformative food systems Organizer: EAFF & ILC Africa + R&D investment for smallholder-centered innovation in Africa Organizer: CGIAR
  • 04/09 11:00 – 12:30 : From Farm to Fork for Real – How to Enhance Young People’s Employment and Entrepreneurship Opportunities Within Africa’s Agri-Food Systems Organizer: Mastercard Foundation
  • 04/09 11:00 – 12:30 : Agribusiness Acceleration approaches for CSA innovation, resilience, gender and social inclusion Organizers: CIAT, AICCRA, IWMI, CGIAR
  • 04/09 14:00 – 15:30 : Food Systems Transformation: Supporting government leadership for pathway implementation. Organizer: GAIN, ACT4Food, Akademiya2063
  • 04/09 14:00 – 15:30 : The Malabo Declaration on Africa’s Agriculture: fostering coalitions of decisionmakers, and stakeholders to accelerate implementation Organizer: Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, United Kingdom, AGRA
  • 04/09 14:00 – 15:30 : Rural prosperity in fragile situations Organisers: IFAD
  • 04/09 14:00 – 15:30 : Merged Event Title: Gender Responsive Policies as Drivers of Innovative Solutions for Equitable Agri-food Systems Organizers: AWARD, African Food Changemakers
  • 04/09 14:00 – 17:30 : Defining Africa’s Fertilizer and Soil Health Vision Organizers: AAP, CIFOR/ICRAF, CGIAR, AGRA, AFAP, IITA, GiZ Session Brief Theme 1: Promoting Indigenous Crops for Increased Soil and Human Health and Climate Change Resiliency – led by Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) ; Theme 2: Building Healthy Soil Ecosystems – led by CIFOR-ICRAF ; Theme 3: Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) – led by CGIAR and GIZ ; Theme 4: Defining Africa’s Fertilizer and Soil Health Vision/Rehabilitating acid soils for food security – led by AGRA, CIMMYT
  • 04/09 16:00 – 17:30 : Herding Change: Sustainable Livestock Innovation by Women and Youth Organizers: Heifer, ILRI, GDP, Land O'Lakes, SNV
  • 04/09 16:00 – 17:30 : Transforming African Food Systems: Sharable, Reliable and Timely Agricultural Data and Market Information are Essential for Agricultural Policies, Market Information, Food Security and Sustainable Food Systems Organizers: USDA, AKADEMIYA2063, AGRA
  • 04/09 16:00 – 17:30 : Mainstreaming Gender into the African Crop Innovation Pipeline Organizers: GCfGE, Gates Ag One
  • 05/09 7:00 – 9:00 : Partner Event Title: Soil as a Strategic Tool for Food Security, Nutrition and Food Systems Transformation Organizer: YARA
  • 05/09 18:30 – 22:00 : Nutritious Foods Financing Facility, an innovative approach to strengthen Africa’s food systems. Organizers: GAIN N3F
Extracts of the main events
  • 05/09 11:30 - 13:30 : Policy: The Power of Data, Information & Research for Sustainable Food System- Parallel Session
  • 05/09 15:00 - 17:00 : Plenary: Africa’s Fertilizer and Soil Health Vision
  • 06/09 09:00 - 11:00 : PLENARY: Transforming African Food Systems for Stronger Nutritional Benefits
  • 06/09 11:30 - 13:30 : The Cost of a Healthy Diet
  • 06/09 11:30 - 13:30 : Food Safety and Post-Harvest Management
  • 06/09 17:00 - 18:30 : Program & Innovation: Regenerative Agriculture and Resilient Food Systems
  • 07/09 11:00 - 13:30 : Farmers Forum
  • 07/09 15:00 - 18:00 : Global Leaders Panel: Setting the Scene: Africa Narrative on food system transformation. Presidential Summit: Roundtable 1: Leading the Way - Africa’s Solutions to Transforming Food Systems Roundtable 2: The Finance we need for systems transformation in Africa.
  • 08/09 09:00 - 11:30 : Plenary Session title: Journey towards COP28: Adapting Africa’s Food System to Climate Change

5 September 2023. 14:30-17:30 CET. FAO Online multistakeholder workshop on emerging technologies and innovations in the agrifood systems: role of artificial intelligence to improve agricultural productivity.


6 September 2023. African Barefoot Guide as a learning and transformational resource Meeting ID: 830 9188 2633 / Passcode: 890921

7 September 2023 @9:30am EDT. Seminar, Market Concentration in the Grain Industry: Implications for Food Security? By IFPRI

11 September 2023. Release of Draft BIFAD-Commissioned Report, Operationalizing USAID’s Climate Strategy to Achieve Transformative Adaptation and Mitigation in Agricultural and Food Systems
  • hybrid public meeting on Monday,  to discuss the draft report’s main findings, targets, and recommendations with the Subcommittee, BIFAD Members, USAID representatives, and other stakeholders.
  • Register for either for: In-person participation or Virtual attendance 
12-16 September 2023 | ESADA African Dairy Conference and Exhibition

13 September 2023. Brussels + Online. Conference on Research and Innovation in Africa: a driver for development and partnerships



12-29 September 2023. 9th edition of the Science Summit
  • Registration will allow you to select the sessions you want to attend. Only by selecting the session, you will see the button link to access the Video Stream.
  • The objective is to develop and launch science collaborations to demonstrate global science mechanisms and activities to support the attainment of the UN SDGs, Agenda 2030 and Local2030. The meeting will also prepare input for the United Nations Summit of the Future, which will take place during UNGA79 in September 2024.
  • The Science Summit will begin with the opening session on Tuesday, 12 September 2023. This will be followed by approximately 350 sessions, bringing together 1400 speakers and building on the successful Science Summit at UNGA77 in 2022.
Selection of panels at the 9th edition of the Science Summit in CEST (Central European Simmer) and CAT (Central Africa) time zones

18-20 September 2023. 11th Annual International Conference on Sustainable Development (ICSD)!
  • This year’s theme is, “The Midpoint of the SDGs: Global and Local Progress & Challenges”.
19 Sept 13:30 CEST. Assessing Progress toward Women’s Empowerment in Agricultural Development Projects: lessons from the JP RWEE and GAAP2 initiatives 
  • IFAD, FAO, WFP, IFPRI and the BMGF will present achievements on Women’s Empowerment stemming from two multi country initiatives: The UN Joint Programme on Accelerating Progress Towards the Economic Empowerment of Rural Women (JP RWEE); and the Gender, Agriculture, and Assets Project, Phase 2 (GAAP2).
19 September 2023. International Year of Millets Global Webinar Series. 4th Webinar: “Opportunities for processing millets


19-20 September 2023 | Sustainable Food Forum London

19 - 22 September 2023, in Addis Ababa. The 4th All Africa Post-Harvest Congress and Exhibition,  
  • The congress provided a platform for exhibitors to showcase their latest innovative technologies, practices, and tools for postharvest food loss/waste reduction.
20 September @ 1:30 pm - 2:45 pm CEST. Introduction to Urban Food Systems
  • This is the third and final webinar of the series conducted in collaboration with Thriving Solutions. 
  • This webinar will discuss urban food system basics while exploring the different types of food systems. 
  • It will also discuss the key elements of an urban food system (production, distribution, consumption and waste management) and how they differentiate per food system.
20 – 22 September 2023. Tropentag 2023 - Competing Pathways for Equitable Food Systems Transformation: Trade-Offs and Synergies
  • IFPRI will be featured as the CGIAR center of focus at this year’s Tropentag, an annual interdisciplinary conference on research in tropical and subtropical agriculture, natural resource management and rural development.
  • See the IFPRI PROGRAM

25 September  @ 9:30 am - September 27 @ 5:00 pm CEST. Online. FAO GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE LIVESTOCK TRANSFORMATION

25 September 2023, 10:00 am - 11:00 am EST. IFPRI’s Global Food Policy Report 2023
  • The joint hybrid event organized by IFAD, IFPRI, and the Agriculture, Food & Rural Development Thematic Group of the World Bank will showcase the findings of IFPRI’s 2023 Global Food Policy Report, which emphasizes the need for more sustainable and resilient food systems to address the challenges posed by climate change.
25 September 2023. 14:00 UTC+1 - UK time - 90 min. Webinar | Monetary and Non-Monetary Poverty Measures from a Living Income Perspective | hosted by LICOP

26 September 2023 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am UTC. GRA - AFRICAN PADDY RICE RESEARCH GROUP INTRODUCTORY MEETING

26 September 2023 @3 - 4:30pm CEST) Seminar, Facilitating Anticipatory Action with Improved Early Warning

26 - 29 September 2023. 8th All Africa Conference in Animal Agriculture
  • World food production systems, particularly in Africa, have recently faced unprecedented challenges from climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • For food of animal origin in particular, these recent challenges are in addition to already existing challenges of animal diseases and parasites, human-wildlife conflicts, cross-border diseases, long droughts, lack of markets, under-funded research, and lack of viable extension services leading to deficiency in management skills in animal farming.
  • All these negative impacts on sustainable livestock production have weakened Africa’s food production capacity.
26-28 September 2023. European Organic Congress 2023

27 September 2023, 09.00-18.00. ALL-Ready and AE4EU joint final conference “Agroecology Living Labs and Research Infrastructures in Europe – experiences from ALL-Ready & AE4EU” is now online
  • Venue: European Committee of the Regions Bâtiment Jacques Delors, Rue Belliard 99-101
  • Agenda & Registration: Click here
  • Deadline Registration: 11 September 2023
  • The one-day conference will shed light on how the two projects paved the way for a European Network of Living Labs and Research Infrastructures.

27 September 2023. the Hague, The Political Economy of Global Reparations.
  • Speakers: Gurminder Bhambra, Horace Campbell, Lebohang Liepollo Pheko, Hilbourne Watson. Chair: Peter James Hudson.
27 - 29 September 2023. HYBRID FAO EVENT Global Conference on Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization. The GAMC will highlight ways for context-specific interventions to optimize the use of agricultural equipment and harness its benefits while minimizing harmful effects on the environment. These interventions will contribute to achieving the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31 with a focus on sustainability: increasing production of nutritious food and generating income while protecting the environment, providing decent jobs and creating social equity. See the full programme here
  • 27/09 | 10.00-12.30| Keynote Address PLENARY SESSION 1: H.E. Josefa Sacko, Commissioner, African Union Commission (AUC): Mechanization for Sustainable Agrifood Systems
  • 27/09 | 14.00 - 15.30 CEST | Thematic Session 1.1: Efficiency and Productivity
  • 27/09 | 16.00 - 17.30 CEST | Thematic Session 1.2: Innovative Technologies
  • 27/09 | 14.00 - 15.30 CEST | Thematic Session 2.1: Harvest- and Post-harvest
  • 27/09 | 16.00 - 17.30 CEST | Thematic Session 2.2: Agro-processing
  • 28/09 | 9.00 - 10.30 CEST | Thematic Session 3.1: Conservation Agriculture
  • 28/09 | 11.00 - 12.30 CEST | Thematic Session 3.2: Precision Agriculture
  • 28/09 | 9.00 - 10.30 CEST | Thematic Session 4.1: Digital Technology and ICT
  • 28/09 | 11.00 - 12.30 CEST | Thematic Session 4.2: Automation and AI
  • 28/09  | 12:30-14:00 (CEST). GAMC Side Event: Voices of the youth for Sustainable Mechanization & Digitalization
  • 28/09 | 14.00 - 15.30 CEST | Thematic Session 5.1: Supply Chains and Services
  • 28/09 | 16.00 - 17.30 CEST | Thematic Session 5.2: Regulations and Standards
  • 28/09 | 14.00 - 15.30 CEST | Thematic Session 6.1: Inclusive Business Models
  • 28/09 | 16.00 - 17.30 CEST | Thematic Session 6.2: Multi-stakeholder Engagement
  • 29/09 | 9.00 - 10.30 CEST | Thematic Session 7: Enabling Environment
  • 29/09 | 12:30-14:00 | GAMC Side Event: Using precision seeding to optimize crop yields
  • Telling our stories to inspire interest and action about food sovereignty, sustainability and justice.
  • Members of the People's Health Movement South Africa (PHM-SA) will talk about their work with youth in responding to the food crisis. This global network (operating in 70 countries) brings together grassroots health activists, civil society organizations, and academic institutions from around the world, particularly from low and middle-income countries (L&MIC).

28-30 September 2023 in Bandung Indonesia. Talk ASAP: Africa-Asia Pacific Dialogue on Communication Issues at 29th AMIC Annual Conference


29 September - 8 October 2023. Abidjan. SARA - Salon international de l’Agriculture et des Ressources Animales

2 to 5 October 2023. Global Symposium on Soils and Water (GSOWA23) will be held in a hybrid format by FAO
3 October 2023.  2:00pm – 4:00 pm CEST. Women empowerment through Innovation and Digitalization to Transfrom the Agrifood System
 

3 October 2023 | 14:00 UTC+1 - UK time - 90 min. Webinar | True Price and Living Income | hosted by LICOP, 
  • Meeting ID: 875 4508 1076
  • Nyahode Union Learning Centre + Union Community Technical College
4 October 2023. 2:00pm – 5:00 pm CEST. Global Session: What is needed for successful participatory research? by GFAR & WRF
  • Family Farmer Organizations, members of the Collective Action on Participatory Research in Family Farming – AFA, COPROFAM, ESAFF, PDRR, PIFON, PROPAC –, will share concrete success experiences on active collaboration between farmers, researchers, policymakers, and other stakeholders to collectively address agricultural challenges and co-create sustainable solutions. 
  • Relevant actors from innovation and research centers and other institutions will reflect on the added value for accelerating food systems transformation and ensuring inclusive and participatory approach in agricultural research and the related policy-making processes.
  • Agenda + webinar
  • Organized by WRF, GFAR and the Collective Action for Participatory Research and Family Farming.
4-5 October 2023. Rome Water Dialogue - FAO


  • Efficient Fuelwood Use as a Strategy to Reduce Household Pressure on Natural Forests of the Guinea Savannah Zone of Nigeria
  • Charcoal Movements inside Zambian Cities: From Peri-urban Markets to Low and Medium Density Suburbs.)
  • Potential of Carbonized Briquettes to Enhance Sustainability in Woodfuel Supply in Sub-Saharan Africa
  • The presentation videos from Session #1 are available here
11 - 12 October 2023. GLF Nairobi 2023: A New Vision for Earth.
  • GLF online or in Nairobi, Kenya will explore local solutions to the global climate and biodiversity crises, shape the conversation ahead of and all the way to the UNFCCC Climate Conference
Healthy Soil, Healthy Food Webinar series by AFSA
  • 13 October 2023 Making and applying selected bio-fertilizers
  • 27 October Crop health management practices. Permaculture design principles for crop health
  • 10 Nov 2023 Seed Management Technologies
  • 24 Nov 2023 Managing On-farm Trials, Participatory Action Research + Setting up efficacy trials on bio-inputs and other agroecological technologies.
  • 8 Dec 2023 Agroecological input markets (Incl. online marketing, standardizations, and Certification of Agroecological farm inputs)
  • 12 Jan 2024 Integrating Livestock in Agroecosystems
  • 26 Jan 2024 Policy and Advocacy for Healthy Soils
  • 9 Feb 2024 Monitoring and evaluation of practices for agroecological interventions

16-20 October 2023 | World Food Forum: Flagship event
16-20 October 2023. FAO Science and Innovation Forum
  • 2nd edition of the FAO Science and Innovation Forum (SIF) under the umbrella of the WFF flagship event will focus on “Science and Innovation for Climate Action”.
  • The FAO SIF will take in a hybrid format at FAO headquarters in Rome and through a digital platform.
16-20 October 2023. Rabat. 19th CGIAR Science Council

16-20 October 2023. Nutrition for Resilience
  • Micronutrient Forum 6th Global Conference #MNF2023
17 October 2013 | 16:15-18:15 CEST. Hybrid Event. The Role of Academia and Research Institutions in Addressing Climate Change and Food Security. 5th Annual Academia Perspectives Roundtable
  • Registration, for both in-person and virtual participation, is through the 2023 WORLD FOOD FORUM virtual platform.
17 - 19 October 2023. Genetic Innovation Forum 2023

17 - 19 October 2023. 14th Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) Annual Meeting (GAM)
  • hosted by the North American Agricultural Advisory Network (NAAAN)
19th October | 14:00 UTC+1 - UK time. Webinar | Cocoa sector update on Living Income | hosted by LICOP

20 - 22 October 2023. 7th African Diaspora Agrofood Forum

23 - 27 October 2023. 3rd African Plant Breeders Association (APBA) Conference

23-26 October 2023. From 04:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Saudi Agriculture-The 40th edition of the international exhibition for agriculture, Food, Aquaculture, Packaging and Agro-industry.

26 October 2023, at 4 pm EAT.AFSA's Webinar: My Food Is African - Celebrating African Cuisine and Advocating for a Fair and Inclusive Food Policy

28 October - 2 November 2023. The 19th RUFORUM Annual General Meeting (AGM), Yaoundé-Cameroon [English][French][Arabic][Portuguese] Transforming Higher Education to Sustainably Feed and Create Prosperity for Africa

29 October  - 2 November 2023. Cairo Water Week


  • To be held in the first week of November in Nairobi, Kenya, the AFSH Summit will convene Heads of State and Government and other stakeholders from across Africa and beyond to highlight the crucial role of fertilizer and soil health in stimulating sustainable productivity growth in African agriculture and to agree on a 10-year Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan and declaration to guide implementation.

7-9 November 2023, Accra, Ghana. ACAFP 2023 Food Safety Conference.

7-9 November 2023. ICTforAg 2023 
  • three days of insightful discussions, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities will take place online through three tracks: Inclusion, Innovation, and Inspiration. Additionally, there will be ICTforAg+ regional events happening around the world.
  • ICTforAg is an annual convening where agrifood system stakeholders, technology experts, and enthusiasts gather to share knowledge, find solutions, and form partnerships to address challenges in agrifood systems across low and middle-income countries. In 2022, the online ICTforAg event attracted over 3,000 participants from 123 countries. Starting from 2023, CGIAR will be hosting the event series to support the theme of Cultivating Inclusion, ensuring that digital innovations equitably benefit all agrifood systems actors across low and middle-income countries.

  • Conference to showcase achievements of EU food systems related projects, explore future research and innovation orientations and levers of change. 
  • The EC aims to convene a wide range of actors and policy makers for this in-person event, which will also be web streamed and recorded for those unable to travel.

26 February to 1 March 2024. 5th All Africa Horticulture Congres (AAHC)
  • The preliminary programme is available online and abstract submission is open until November 2023.
  • This fifth edition of the AAHC, initiated in 2009 by GlobalHort, will complement the African sub-regions hosting the event.
  • The event will strengthen scientific relations and partnerships between North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, and highlight the place and role of horticulture in meeting the continent's global challenges: food and nutritional security, youth employment, and sustainable management of natural resources (water and biodiversity).

Decolonizing African Food Systems through Agroecology

AFSA organises  a series of six webinars exploring the many ways Agroecology can provide sustainable African solutions to the multiple crises we face.

In each episode, a keynote speaker will set the scene, and then a panel of experts and practitioners will discuss the topic leading to a Q&A session facilitated by a moderator.

Each episode will be 90 minutes long and interpreted in English and French.

17 August, 2 pm

Our Pathway to Climate Justice in Africa: Agroecology and Food Sovereignty

31 August, 4 pm

Agroecology as a Social Movement: Empowering Communities and Transforming Food Systems

14 September, 4 pm

Our Land is Our Life: Agroecology versus industrial land use

28 September, 4 pm

Our Seeds, Our Culture: Decolonising Africa’s seed systems

12 October, 4 pm

The Economics of Agroecology: Revolutionizing African Trade and Empowering Agroecological Enterprises through Territorial Markets

26 October, 4 pm

Our Food is African: Towards a Fair and Inclusive African Food Policy: Celebrating the Richness of African Cuisine

Lessons Learned in Upscaling Digital Advisory Services

29 August 2023
. Webinar: Lessons Learned in Upscaling Digital Advisory Services

GFRAS supported by the GIZ Sector Project Agriculture has conducted a study on the benefits of digital rural advisory services with the aim to understand exactly how digital rural advisory services can support the promotion of good agricultural practices (GAP) and improve farmers’ livelihoods. 

Under the guidance of the GFRAS Regional Networks in Anglophone Africa, Francophone Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia, success and constraint factors for digital rural advisory services were identified, as well as needs and opportunities for the public sector to engage further in digital agriculture.

Here you will find the draft version of the Global Report
  • The current potentials and the challenges regarding digital rural advisory services;
  • The success factors and challenges for scaling digital advisory service solutions and;
  • The operational and institutional implications of using such digital advisory services for the private and public sector will be presented and discussed.
GFRAS will present examples across regions on how to increase reach and effectiveness of digital extension services, and this will be followed by Q&A and discussion.

Kindly note that the 29 August webinar will be hosted by GIZ and take place via Microsoft Teams. No registration is required. Link to the MS TEAMS webinar (Meeting ID: 364 775 750 67, Passcode: L7Xw4W)

Report: Linking with universities and research institutions: promoting farmer-led participatory innovation development

Prolinnova is currently facilitating a series of webinars aimed at providing an opportunity for its Community of Practice to share experiences in linking with university and research actors in promoting the Participatory Innovation Development (PID) approach. 

19 April 2023. The first of this year's webinars was held on 19 April 2023 and attended by 52 participants. The webinar introduced the concepts of local innovation and PID and shared case studies on how five Prolinnova Country Platforms (CPs) - in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Nepal, South Africa and the United Kingdom - implemented PID activities together with university and research actors with a view to institutionalising this approach.

The cases covered the following topics:
  • An overview of the PID concept and an innovator’s perspective
  • Experience in collaboration between a research institution and Prolinnova–Burkina Faso in the framework of the Proli-GEAFaSa (Promoting local innovation in water management by family farmers in the Sahel) project
  • The use of PID as an entry point to engaged scholarship
  • Status and lessons learnt in Nepal in integrating local innovation and PID into academia
  • Powering up farmer-led research through linking with research and innovation organisations in the UK and the European Union (EU).
  • For details on the inputs and discussions during this first webinar and for information about the subsequent two webinars, please visit the Prolinnova website
Webinar 2 in August 2023 focused on building capacities within universities and research institutes to create conducive conditions for integrating PID. 

Webinar 3 will focus on “Networking and resource mobilisation to support the process of integrating PID concepts and practices into universities and research institutions” will take place on Wednesday 15 November at 11:00 CET.

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

XV BRICS Summit & agriculture

22 – 24 August 2023
. XV BRICS Summit. Johannesburg, Gauteng. South Africa.  While the BRICS Summit is a meeting of Heads of State and Government and not open to the public, there was an extensive business programme arranged around the Summit culminating in the BRICS Business Forum.

The BRICS summit kicked off with an agenda to tackle agricultural trade and develop SMEs.

22/08 BRICS Business Forum

The business forum saw representatives from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. They highlight key issues such as enhancing agricultural trade within the bloc along with developing small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) and economic cooperation. The representatives addressed the disparities among member nations to boost collective agricultural trade and suggested an increase in import-export activity of agricultural goods within the bloc.
“As a group (BRICS), we import just over $300 billion of agricultural products but a lot of this trade happens outside the bloc,”  “India and China import roughly 85 percent of that (value) and we think they can import some of these products from Brazil and South Africa and increase trade within the bloc.” Wandile Sihlobo, Chairperson of the South Africa Agro-business working group.
“Agriculture is the “most important sector” in the BRICS. Countries in the group buy $315 billion of agricultural products and only 20 percent of this trade takes place with BRICS members. There is a huge potential to realize within our allies and interact with other countries in the African continent when it comes to agricultural trade,” Sergey KatyrinRussia’s representative at the forum. 
“We (BRICS) need to take a more dominant role in addressing agricultural policies. The trade barriers within the bloc are going to hugely impact agricultural productivity and the protectionist attitude among member nations might impact agricultural prosperity.” Jai Shroff, member of India’s BRICS Business Council

The business forum was also attended by the New Development Bank (NDB). This is a multilateral development bank established by Brazil, Russia, India, China & South Africa (BRICS) to finance infrastructure & sustainable development projects. The New Development Bank was formed to support infrastructure and sustainable development efforts in BRICS and other underserved, emerging economies for faster development through innovation and cutting-edge technology. The bank will partner nations through capital and knowledge, achieving development goals with transparency and empathy and creating an equal opportunity for the development of all countries.



XV BRICS Summit Open Plenary Session


Monday, August 21, 2023

World Water Week 2023

20 - 24 August 2023
.Stockholm, Sweden World Water Week 2023

Aiming to explore innovative ways to tackle the global water crisis, World Water Week 2023 was housed for the first time in Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre. World Water Week welcomed participants from all over the world to join hands for a better water future.

Extracts of the programme

Throughout Africa, several groundwater strategies are currently being simultaneously developed. This happens at regional, transboundary and national scales. This session explored key governance points that strategies need to include to foster an aligned, innovative and enabling space that can strengthen Africa's water security solutions and climate resilience.

View the recoding here.
  • Jenny Grönwall Sida Programme Specialist 
  • Seifu Kebede The University Of KwaZulu Natal Centre For Water Resources Research 
  • Michael Ramaano Orange Senqu River Commission Environment & Water Quality Manager 
  • Phera Ramoeli Okavango River Basin Water Commission Executive Secretary 
  • Klaudia Schachtschneider OneWorld Programme Manager 
  • Staci Warrington OneWorld Sustainable Investments

20/08 Integrated landscape development approach in the Central Rift Valley Sub-basin


The integrated landscape-based approach in the sub-basin addresses the linkages between land, rivers and lakes ecosystems in support of holistic natural resources management and economic development through livelihood activities. In this session, the practical implementation of the landscape-based restoration approaches linked with livelihood activities were presented and discussed.


New approaches of cooperation are needed to address drought risk proactively at all levels, through holistic approaches that include early warning, prevention, response and ultimately building drought resilience. The session will deal with understanding the full complexity and managing the risk in a horizontally and vertically integrated way across scales.

The agenda for the next ten years of Integrated Drought Management at the Drought Resilience +10 across all its workstreams includes:
  • Drought resilience and global mechanisms
  • Drought risk governance: The regional, national, and local challenges
  • Drought Impact monitoring, assessment and forecasting
  • The need to turn drought policies into action
  • Ecosystems and Drought
  • Social inclusion, climate justice and drought
  • Drought risk finance / Insurance
  • Public-Private-Civil Society Partnerships for integrated drought risk management
  • Drought and Health
Co-convened by the Center for International Forestry Research, Food, Agriculture and Natural
Resources Policy Analysis Network, Stockholm International Water Institute, World Agroforestry Centre and Zambezi Watercourse Commission, this session highlighted the partnership of non-governmental organizations/ knowledge tanks with the Zambezi Water Course Commission, an intergovernmental panel of eight member states that share the Zambezi river. 
  • Facilitator – Xanani Baloyi, SIWI
  • Anton Earle, SIWI
  • Felix Ngamlagosi, Zambezi Watercourse Commission (ZAMCOM)
  • Dr. Tshilidzi Madzivhandila, The Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) -  The case for investment in African small-holder farmers and rain in the face of climate change 
  • Monica A. Altamirano, WaterEquity - Private Sector Financier Perspectives -
Presentations on innovative methodologies across the Zambezi catchment to unlock the value and build an empirical business case for investing in enhanced rainfed agriculture:
  • Sithembile Mwamakamba, FANRPAN
  • Maimbo Malesu, Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and World Agroforestry (ICRAF)
  • Kasonde Mulenga, SIWI
  • Felix Ngamlagosi, ZAMCOM
  • Monica A. Altamirano, WaterEquity
  • Anna Tengberg, SIWI & Lund University
  • Moderator: Xanani Baloyi, Programme Officer, SIWI

21/08 Developing a payment-for-ecosystem services framework in Ethiopia

The Koga Reservoir supports 10,000 smallholder-farmers in Ethiopia. The reservoir faces siltation related to upstream catchment degradation. Establishing a PES scheme between the upstream and downstream communities is critical. However, in-country experience to implement PES is limited. The session covered lessons learned to develop the foundation of the scheme.

21/08 Launch of Africa’s Voice on Water (AVOW) Magazine

This session unveiled and launched a new magazine – the African Voice on Water (AVOW) as an anthology of water and sanitation stories from AU Member States. It presented AVOW’s value to the sector for information, knowledge, awareness, policy advocacy, dialogue promotion and the showcase of good.

  • HANI ATEF NABHAN SEWILAM Ministry Of Water And Irrigation, Egypt AMCOW President/Minister For Water And Irrigation 
  • TAHANY MOSTAFA YOUSSEF SELIT Ministry Of Water And Irrigation, Egypt / AMCOW TAC Chair 
  • Obinna Richfield Anah African Ministers' Council On Water (AMCOW) Knowledge Management 
  • Sylvester Anthony MATEMU (picture) NILE BASIN INITIATIVE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 
  • HANI ATEF NABHAN SEWILAM Ministry Of Water And Irrigation, Egypt AMCOW President/Minister For Water And Irrigation 
  • Sareen Malik ANEW Executive Secretary 
  • Patrick Moriarty IRC CEO 
  • Alexandra Dubois GIZ 
  • Nelson Austin Kamphinda Gomonda African Ministers' Council On Water (AMCOW) Director Of Programmes 
A large proportion of global investments in NbS target strategies which are not relevant to Africa’s diverse environmental, climate, cultural and political contexts. This session brought together key actors to explore how south-south and north-south learning can effectively build a transformative, African approach to NbS for climate resilience.


  • Belynda Petrie OneWorld Sustainable Investments CEO 
  • Luke Borain OneWorld Sustainable Investments 
  • Christine Colvin WWF International Head Of Freshwater Policy - Best practice and examples for NbS
  • Gareth James LLOYD UNEP-DHI Centre Deputy Chief Manager - Systems Approach to making NbS work 
  • Maria Eduarda Gouvea Berto Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) Senior Water And Sanitation Specialist - Financial innovation for NbS 
  • Joakim Harlin UNEP Chief, Freshwater Unit

22/08 Mobilizing investments to build resilience in the Zambezi River Basin


This session brought together political leaders, and technical and financing partners to explore financing opportunities for scaling up the Programme for Integrated Development and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Zambezi River Basin aiming to strengthen regional cooperation and to build community resilience to climatic and economic shocks.

View the recording here
  • HASTINGS CHIBUYE ZAMBEZI WATERCOURSE COMMISSION Manager 
  • FELIX NGAMLAGOSI ZAMBEZI WATERCOURSE COMMISSION (ZAMCOM) EXECUTIVE SECREATARY 
  • Xanani Baloyi SIWI Transboundary Water/ Gender Equality Focal Point

22/08 State of Sanitation and Hygiene Policy Environment: A Situation Analysis of Africa

This session disseminated the findings of a study on sanitation and hygiene policy environment in Africa. It highlighted areas of the enabling environment that require strengthening during policy reform process. Critical elements of the policy environment that requires prioritisation in policies and implementation strategies were discussed.

  • Comfort Kanshio African Ministers' Council On Water (AMCOW) 
  • TAHANY MOSTAFA YOUSSEF SELIT Ministry Of Water And Irrigation, Egypt AMCOW TAC Chair 
  • Alex Manyasi APHRC POLICY ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION 
  • Eric Momanyi Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Senior Program Officer 
  • Judith Tshabalala Department Of Water And Sanitation Deputy Minister 
  • Bisi Agberemi UNICEF WASH

22/08 Innovation for Food Security, Water and #zerohunger

WFP's IGNITE Innovation Hub for East Africa helps identify and scale innovative solutions in the region. The Hub nurtures and scales local, market-based innovations to increase food security, enable climate resilient communities and strengthen food systems in East Africa by leveraging WFP’s public and private partners, field experience and expertise. This includes innovations related to water for productive use. This session: (a) Spotlighted the food security challenges faced in East Africa, especially due to the prolonged drought; (b) Amplified the launch of an innovation challenge supporting innovation across the East Africa region, including water related innovation; (c) Encouraged partners and innovators in the ecosystem to support innovations by expressions of interest to partner.

View the recording here
  • Sibi Lawson-Marriott WFP Food Systems 
  • Eric Oyare WORLD WIDE FUND FOR NATURE (WWF) BLUE HEART OF AFRICA INITIATIVE 
  • Bedan Mukoma WFP Regional Bureau Of Nairobi Partnerships And Innovation 
  • James Thuch Madhier The Rainmaker Enterprise

22/08 AFDB/AMCOW Innovative Financing Mechanisms Toward Achieving SDG 6 in Africa

This session delved into the challenges encountered by African member states in implementing water and sanitation-related targets and reporting progress to the African Union Assembly.
- Legal and Institutional requirements for a successful and sustainable financing mobilization for the water sector.
- Financing water, challenges, and current trends (includes State of readiness to mobilize commercial
- Experiences sharing of some of the financiers and investors.
- Concessional green and climate related funds and facilities.
- Project preparation opportunities in Africa.
- Accelerating action on financing water in Africa to achieve SDG6 by 2030.
  • HANI ATEF NABHAN SEWILAM Ministry Of Water And Irrigation, Egypt AMCOW President/Minister For Water And Irrigation 
  • TAHANY MOSTAFA YOUSSEF SELIT Ministry Of Water And Irrigation, Egypt AMCOW TAC Chair 
  • CARL HERMANN GUSTAV SCHLETTWEIN Hon. Minister Ministry Of Agriculture, Water And Land Reform 
  • Joel Kolker World Bank Global Lead 
  • Osward CHANDA AFDB DIRECTOR 
  • HANI ATEF NABHAN SEWILAM Ministry Of Water And Irrigation, Egypt AMCOW President/Minister For Water And Irrigation 
  • Aude Farnault OECD Water Policy Analyst 
  • Brian Arbogast Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Director

22/08 Paddies for the Planet: Tackling water-climate challenges through low-carbon rice

Paddies for the Planet presents an innovative financing and institutional model that reduce agricultural emissions and water use, benefitting small farmers. This session put a spotlight on incentives for different stakeholders to practice efficient irrigation management, discussed new ways to carry out irrigation practices; and showcased perspectives on innovations and financing (water, irrigation, carbon) to scale practical solutions.

View the recording here
  • Jessica Christiansen Bayer CropScience Ag VP, Sustainability & Business Stewardship 
  • Saroj Kumar Jha WORLD BANK GROUP WATER GLOBAL DIRECTOR 
  • Richard Colback IFC Senior Operations Officer 
  • Michael Webster World Bank Program Manager 
  • Carolina Garcia Arbelaez AB InBev Global Sustainability And Innovation Director

22/08 Harnessing Earth Observation Data to Solve Africa’s Greatest Water Challenges

This talk show discussed Digital Earth Africa, the DIWASA initiative’s Open Data Cube, and the decision-ready data from Earth Observation Satellites that it offers. DEA and IWMI are developing a range of additional analysis tools to help users address water monitoring and management issues at a regional scale. Potential applications of DEA resources include: flood hazard mapping; flood and drought warning systems using weather forecast and hydrological model; vulnerability and impact sectoral analysis of floods and drought; data visualization and analytics tools; and capacity building and technology transfer.

View the recording here
  • Walter Panzirer The Helmsley Charitable Trust 
  • Lena Scherman Deep Sea Productions Reporter/Editor In Chief

22/08 Water Productivity to Improve Water Sustainability In Agricultural Production

The session and panel explored the use of local, regional, and global scale data such as crop yield, applied irrigation water, soil water content, crop canopy parameters, as well as the use of crop modeling and remote sensing, for estimating spatial and temporal variation of crop water productivity. The presentations covered novel approaches in estimating crop water productivity and developing water productivity scores at local and global scale. The presentations will also address approaches and challenges of assessing livestock water productivity.

View the recording here
  • Livia Peiser FAO Land And Water Officer - Monitoring land and water productivity using remote sensing data, the FAO WaPOR open access database
  • Abdulkarim Seid Mesfin Mekonnen The University Of Alabama Assistant Professor - Monitoring water productivity: Pathways for scaling use of advanced data acquisition systems across rainfed – irrigation continuum
  • Dr. Christopher M. U. Neale, Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, University of Nebraska - Increases in Water Productivity of Irrigated and Rainfed Crops in Nebraska, United States
  • Dr. Mesfin Mekonnen, Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering University of Alabama - Trends in the Water Productivity of Livestock Products in the United States

22/08 AFRICA FOCUS DAY! High-Level Ministerial Panel for a Water-wise Africa through Innovations and Shared Experiences

Presentation of the draft roadmap to formulate the post-2025 Africa Water Vision and implementation of the Dakar Declaration.

View the recording here
  • HANI ATEF NABHAN SEWILAM Ministry Of Water And Irrigation, Egypt AMCOW President/Minister For Water And Irrigation 
  • TAHANY MOSTAFA YOUSSEF SELIT Ministry Of Water And Irrigation, Egypt AMCOW TAC Chair 
  • CARL HERMANN GUSTAV SCHLETTWEIN Ministry Of Agriculture, Water And Land Reform 
  • Hon. Minister FREDA PREMPEH MINISTRY OF SANITATION AND WATER RESOURCES Ghana
  • MINISTER Judith Tshabalala Department Of Water And Sanitation South Africa
  • Deputy Minister Osward CHANDA AFDB DIRECTOR

22/08 Multi-stakeholder Collaboration in Agricultural Water Stewardship: Solutions to Advance SDGs

To highlight the urgency of our priorities related to terrestrial water stewardship and foster collaboration and investment, this session convened diverse partners from around the world to share successes and barriers to advancing agricultural water stewardship initiatives.

  • Moshi Berenstein NETAFIM & European Irrigation Association MD NETAFIM FRANCE & EIA PRESIDENT 
  • Sasha Koo-Oshima UN FAO Land And Water Division 
  • Shama Perveen Ceres 
  • Nick Brozovic Daugherty Water For Food Global Institute Director Of Policy 
  • Nora Van Cauwenbergh IHE Delft Associate Professor Water And Societal Transition 
  • Madhu Rajesh Coca-Cola Senior Director - Water & Agriculture 
  • Jessica Christiansen Bayer CropScience Ag VP, Sustainability & Business Stewardship

22/08 Water Pricing: valuing and allocating water in Awash Basin Ethiopia


In the Awash basin in Ethiopia, water is available but scarce and highly polluted. Stakeholders from federal and regional governments find each other in a water agreement, facilitating a catchment approach. By registration of all users and allocating water against a price, a fair distribution of the water is pursued.

  • Gerdien Van Genderen - De Kloe Woord En Daad Sustainable Water 
  • Joy Pengel Waterschap Zuiderzeeland Consultant Blue Deal Awash River Basin

23/08 Challenging Paradigms Through Solar Powered Water Systems Planning in Ethiopia


Planning and intentional design of solar powered water systems is critical to delivering sustainable high quality solutions that serve long term needs for refugee and host communities. This session, shared case studies from Ethiopia and discuss approaches to embed best practices and engage young professionals.

  • Chris Cope Water Mission Director Of Engineering Design And Support 
  • Ruth Haile Plan International Ethiopia SUNWASH 
  • Mandy Goksu Water Mission Partnerships Director, Institutions 
  • Anne Smith Petersen 
  • Iben Rasmine Østergaard Marcussen Plan Børnefonden Team Lead - ECD - WASH

23/08 Incorporating inclusive water management and aquatic food in agroecological transitions

This session presented and discussesed revisions to the agroecological principles that incorporate inclusive water management and aquatic food. It then explores their implications for agroecological transitions at scale in member countries of the Agroecology Coalition that face urgent need to adapt to increasing frequency and severity of droughts in some cases and floods in others brought about by climate change.

View the recording here
  • Fergus Sinclair (Moderator) ICRAF
  • Sarah Freed (World Fish)
  • Michaela Lo (IWMI)
  • Matthew McCartney (IWMI)
  • Genna Tesdall (YPARD) Youth perspective on agroecology and aquatic food from DRC
  • Rada Kong CIRAD, ASSET project in association with HE CASIC, Cambodia - Dealing with too much water: flooding in Cambodia
  • Mohamed Yahya Lafdal (adviser to the Mauritanian Minister of Environment) - Dealing with too little water: drought in Mauritania 
  • Swati Renduchintala RySS and CIFOR-ICRAF, India - Agroecological practices perform best in drier conditions In Andhra Pradesh: implications for scaling through womens’ self-help groups
  • Prasanthi Gunawardena, University of Sri Jayewardenepura - Redirecting value from stored water to protect watersheds in Sri Lanka

23/08 Upscaling landscape restoration to safeguard East African Wetlands

East African wetlands are crucial for supporting various economic activities and livelihoods but are threatened by human activities like land-use changes, pollution, and climate change. To restore and safeguard these ecosystems, upscaling of often fragmented pilots in catchment restoration is needed. In this session, integrated landscape-based restoration approaches, and its challenges were discussed.

View the recording here
    • Soledad Pinero Part Of More CEO 
    • Julie Mulonga Wetlands International Director Eastern Africa 
    • Michael Nelemans Wetlands International Technical Officer IWRM

    23/08 Harnessing the digital revolution for water innovation

    The panel was introduced by a brief presentation on the GSMA’s experience of supporting partnerships between utilities and start-ups across Africa and Asia by sharing insights from their recently published toolkit.

    View the recording here
    • Satoshi Ishii Asian Development Bank Director, Water And Urban Development 
    • Kelly Trott Imagine H2O Senior Vice President 
    • Dickson Ndungu Wonderkid Multimedia Limited Managing Director 
    • Chloe Poulin Aquaya Senior Research And Program Manager - Machine-learning proxy-means test for targeting pro-poor water subsidies in Ghana
    • Parag Agarwal JanaJal Founder & CEO

    23/08 Launch of Africa Source Water Protection Partnership

    During the 9th World Water Forum held in Dakar Senegal (March, 2022) key stakeholders in the water sector committed to increase investments into source water protection in Africa. An important element is to learn from some of the successful earlier initiatives implemented in the region like the Nairobi and Greater Cape Town Water Fund in order to accelerate the formation of new funds. Innovative approaches are needed for this, such as SIWI’s Source to Sea initiative that has supported development of modules on public-private partnerships for water management in Africa Continued learning and knowledge exchange is needed to address the underinvestment in source water protection in Africa as a adaptation measure to climate change and rapid urban water use increase.

    View the recording here

    Panel Session 1: Unpacking the problem and its impact
    • Moderator: Anton Earle (SIWI)
    • Dr. Simeon Kenfack – Director of programs, AfWASA Côte d'Ivoire
    • Marijn Zwinkels- Conservation Director, Commonlands South Africa
    • Eng. Joseph Kamau- Athi Water Works Development Agency: Kenya
    • Elizabeth Wathuti – Youth Climate Advocate and 2023 winner of Global Human Rights Award, Kenya
    Panel Session 2 Demonstrated impact rolling out Source Water Protection Program
    • David Onyango – Sustainability Manager Diageo London
    • Madhu Rajesh – Senior Director for Water & Agriculture, TCCC
    • Phera Ramoeli – Executive Secretary IFAD/OKACOM
    • Kate Harawa -Water for People
    • Moderator: Fredrick Kihara (TNC)

    23/08 Uganda Water Services to Refugees: from humanitarian support to development

    Uganda initiated transition of UNHCR supported and managed water services to national providers considering equal and sustainable access to water, sanitation and other services to refugees and population from hosting communities. Three large districts are in the process of such transfer and remaining nine districts will follow.

    View the recording here

    23/08 Private Sector Innovations: A Zambia Case Study

    The online session showcased the process of establishing the first small-scale WASH transactions in Zambia, expected to be implemented this year.

    View the recording here

    24/08 Innovative water data solutions for water and food security

    The session presented the benefits of integrating geospatial data in water statistics but also the barriers and main challenges for the uptake of geospatial tools, including technical, financial and governance issues. The session also highlighted current and emerging innovative approaches that integrate geospatial data in water statistics and information.

    View the recording here
    • Towards a Global Water Data Portal Patricia Mejias-Moreno, AQUASTAT coordinator, FAO
    • Generating data and information to consistently assess the state of water resources across scales, Dr. Stefan Uhlenbrook, Director Hydrology, World Meteorological Organization
    • Global hydrological data for better water management worldwide, Bertrand Richaud, Project Manager and focal point for River Basin Organisations at DHI
    • Global monitoring of water productivity in agriculture with FAO WaPOR: introducing the new open access portal and data, Livia Peiser, Land and Water Officer, FAO
    National Perspectives
    • The use of geospatial data in irrigation management information systems in Ethiopia, Elias Awol Mohammed, Lead Executive Officer Small Holder Irrigation, Ministry of Agriculture
    • Innovations in water information systems in Jordan, Thair Al Momani, Assistant Secretary General for Technical Affairs, Ministry of Water and Irrigation, Jordan