Horizon Europe Launch Events – Focus on WP 2023-2024 and Africa Initiative II

Under the “Africa Initiative II” a series of calls for proposals were published which are open to/requiring the participation of African scientists. 

In the course of January - February several events provided information about opportunities for researchers and African research institutions through the Horizon Europe Work Programme for 2023-24. 

The events explained how to apply to these calls for proposals. Below are the Africa-specific calls for proposals for  Cluster 6 (Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment) and Cluster 5 (Climate, Energy and Mobility)

Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment (Cluster 6)

Horizon Europe (2022) Work Programme 2023-2024 Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment # 595 p.

Deadline: 12 April 2023

• HORIZON-CL6-2023-FARM2FORK-01-17: EU-African Union cooperation – linking the activities of the Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA) partnership and those of the Pan-African Network for Economic Analysis of Policies (PANAP) (page 181)
• HORIZON-CL6-2023-FARM2FORK-01-18: Support for the implementation of a sustainable platform for the EU-African Union cooperation under the Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA) partnership  (page 183)
• HORIZON-CL6-2023-FARM2FORK-01-20: EU-Africa Union – food safety  (page 188)
• HORIZON-CL6-2024-FARM2FORK-01-10: EU-African Union cooperation on agroforestry management for climate change adaptation and mitigation  (page 213)
• HORIZON-CL6-2024-FARM2FORK-01-11: EU-African Union – towards climate-neutral, social just fair trade food systems. (page 216) 

Climate, Energy and Mobility (Cluster 5)

Horizon Europe (2022) Work Programme 2023-2024. Climate, Energy and Mobility #535 p.

Deadline: 18 April 2023 

• HORIZON-CL5-2023-D1-01-11: Needs-based adaptation to climate change in Africa (page 51) 
  Enhance planning, implementation and evaluation of climate adaptation strategies and measures (including ecosystem-based adaptation and nature-based solutions, as well as integrated adaptation and mitigation actions) and the understanding of their socio-economic determinants and benefits. Promote better understanding and enhanced cooperation between various actors such as regional climate centres, national meteorological services, intermediaries, and end-users. Direct participation of relevant entities in the projects is strongly encouraged. 

Deadline: 05 September 2023

• HORIZON-CL5-2023-D3-02-16: Accelerating the green transition and energy access in Africa (page 211) 

Deadline: 16 January 2024

• HORIZON-CL5-2024-D3-01-09: Africa-EU CO-FUND action - Strengthening of the joint EU-AU Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Collaborative Partnership efforts (page 242) 

Overview of the events

24 January 2023. Horizon Europe – Africa Initiative II - Focus on Kenya

Kenyan initiatives

• Mr. Jacob Kamwaria Njagih, Ag. Deputy Director, Resource Mobilisation and Partnerships, National Research Fund / Horizon Europe NCP - Ministry of Education 
• Prof Walter O. Oyawa, Director General/CEO National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI) 
• Prof Izael Pereira Da Silva, DVC - Research and Innovation, Strathmore University

Kenyan Scientists Talk

• Dr. Joanes Atela/Dr. Charles Tonui, Africa Research and Impact Network (ARIN), partners of the Horizon Europe project RURALITIES coordinating the actions of local and regional authorities in support of rural innovations; 
  
  RURALITIES aspires to support the rural development. Mainly by delivering expertise as well as creating a learning framework of living labs by September 2027. This will be done via real-scale practicing (demonstrators) in six simplified rural socio-ecological systems (SIMSES), located in Italy, the United- Kingdom, Slovenia, Spain and Romania. The project’s main objective is to provide expertise and a learning framework that will improve the ecosystem and act on climate change through various innovative methodologies.
  
  
  The African Research and Impact Network (ARIN) is an impact platform that brings together a network of scholars and policymakers across Africa. Areas of focus include natural resource management, climate change, agriculture, forestry, energy, water, and cities to leverage their knowledge and experiences in promoting research excellence and impact pathways.
  
  

UPSCALE project (Upscaling the benefits of push-pull technology for sustainable agricultural intensification in East Africa);

• Dr Shem Kuyah, Senior lecturer, Department of Botany, JKUAT, Task leader of UPSCALE project 
• Prof. George Odhiambo, Senior Lecturer, School of Agriculture, Maseno Univesity. UPSCALE project 

UPSCALE aims to take key steps to realize the transformative potential of push-pull technology, to address food security, livelihoods and climate change resilience in the sub-Saharan region of East Africa, while reducing the environmental impact of agricultural practices. For this, it fosters the design, adaptation and adoption of strategies for integrated agro-ecological management based on push-pull technology for wide-spread and climate-resilient sustainable intensification.

The project activities will be conducted in five main study regions within East African countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania), each of these regions being selected to encompass different biophysical (including climate, soils, topography) and farming system characteristics. 

"Imported seeds of Desmodium intortum are expensive and their availability is limited, presenting another challenge in up-take of the technology (...) Desmodium incanum (push) and Xaraes (pull), were used to develop a new third generation PPT. In the current study, effectiveness of the new version in controlling stemborers, fall armyworm (FAW), and striga weed is evaluated in comparison with the earlier version of climate-smart PPT, common farmer practices (FPs). (...) One of the major challenges in adoption of the technology is shortage of inputs especially desmodium seed, which is expensive for the resource-constrained farmers" See: Field evaluation of a new third generation push-pulltechnology for control of striga weed, stemborers, andfall armyworm in western Kenya

Coordinator: GOTTFRIED WILHELM LEIBNIZ UNIVERSITAET HANNOVER Germany

Participants (17)

1. THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY  (ICIPE) AND ECOLOGY LBG Kenya
2. BAYERISCHE FORSCHUNGSALLIANZ BAVARIAN RESEARCH ALLIANCE GMBH  Germany
3. EASTERN AFRICA FARMERS' FEDERATION SOCIETY (EAFF) Kenya
4. JOMO KENYATTA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY Kenya
5. KENYA AGRICULTURAL AND LIVESTOCK RESEARCH ORGANISATION KALRO Kenya
6. MASENO UNIVERSITY Kenya
7. FH ASSOCIATION  Switzerland
8. RWANDA AGRICULTURE AND ANIMAL RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT BOARD  Rwanda
9. INOSENS DOO NOVI SAD Serbia
10. UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL South Africa
11. LUNDS UNIVERSITET Sweden
12. SVERIGES LANTBRUKSUNIVERSITET  Sweden
13. UNIVERSITAT ZURICH  Switzerland
14. TANZANIA AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE  Tanzania
15. NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH ORGANISATION Uganda
16. INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Ethiopia
17. JULIUS-MAXIMILIANS-UNIVERSITAT WURZBURG  Germany

• Prof. John Mugubi, Senior Lecturer, Department of Communication, Media, Film and Theatre Studies working on projects: 1) Transcultural Perspectives of Art Education (TPAAE) and 2) Communities and Artistic Participation in Hybrid Environment (CAPHE)
  
  
  
  The TPAAE project aims to investigate contemporary art and forms of art education in Europe and East Africa. The profound research in transcultural perspectives on art and art education will be realized within the TPAAE project by the Consortium containing academic and non-academic institutions from Poland (Academy of Art in Szczecin – AASZ, National Museum in Szczecin – NMS), Italy (University of Macerata – UNIMC), and Kenya (Pwani University – PUC, Kenyatta University – KU, Beneath the Baobabs. Distant Relatives Events Limited – BtB). All the institutions investigate culture and cultural heritage, and have complementary competences, allowing for research and implementation of the effects into practice.
  
  
  The aim of this Horizon MSCA funded CAPHE project is to investigate and perform the possibility of elaboration of an enhanced model of interaction and somatic participation between artists and communities, coming from different cultural backgrounds, both traditional and virtual ones in hybrid environment, including physical, and virtual layers. 

1 February 2023. Launch event Horizon Europe Launch Event – Focus on WP 2023-2024 and Africa Initiative II

This event was co-organised by Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission, the EU Delegation to the African Union, and EURAXESS Africa.

• Horizon Europe Launch Event – Focus on WP 2023-2024 and Africa Initiative II.pdf
• English (123.05 KB - PDF) Download
• 2023-02-01_Horizon Europe WP 23-24_Africa Initiative FINAL.pdf English (5.84 MB - PDF) Download

Opening EC and AUC

• Ambassador Birgitte Markussen, Head of Delegation of the EU Delegation to the AU 
• Dr Monica Idinoba, Principal Research Scientist, Department of Education, Science, Technology & Innovation, African Union Commission 
• Ms. Nienke Buisman, Head of Unit, International Cooperation, DG Research and Innovation, EC

Results of Africa Initiative I and future strategic priorities Horizon Europe and Africa Initiative II

• Dr. Piero Venturi, EU Science Counsellor to the AU, DG Research and Innovation, EC

Researchers Mobility 

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Ms. Marija Mitic, Policy Officer, DG Education and Culture 
• EURAXESS Africa Dr. Ahmed Maalel, Region Representative for Africa – EURAXESS Worldwide

African Scientists Talk and NCPs: The points of view of African scientists who participated in European R&I programmes and National Contact Points

• Mr. Okalany Emmanuel, RUFORUM (Uganda) 
• Dr Solomon Benor, Horizon Europe NCP for Ethiopia 
• Shem Kuyah, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) Kenya

1 February 2023. Événement de lancement d'Horizon Europe - Focus sur le WP 2023-2024 et l'Initiative Afrique II

Retour d’expérience de scientifiques ayant participé à des projets soutenus par le Programme-Cadre

• Prof. Ousmane Koita, Directeur du Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire Appliquée à la Faculté des Sciences Techniques de L’Université des Sciences et Techniques et des Technologies (USTTB) de Bamako, Mali
• Dr. Charles Kabore, Chercheur de l’Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS) Burkina Faso 
• Mr. Mohamed Abdillahi Aden, Office de Développement de l'Energie Géothermique (ODDEG), Djibouti 

6 February 2023. Virtual Event “Horizon Europe – Africa Initiative II: Focus on Rwanda”

Rwandese Scientists Testimonials

• 
  Dr Elizabeth Krebs, University of Rwanda & HPR (Horizon Europe TRANS-SAFE project) 
  
• Dr Alphonse Nkurunziza, University of Rwanda (Horizon Europe TRANS-SAFE project & Horizon 2020 SESA project and SOLUTIONSplus project) 
  
  In addressing the HORIZON-CL5-2021-D6-01-11 call topic, TRANS-SAFE leverages on existing partnerships to collaboratively design sustainable interventions that aim to radically transform road safety systems in Africa.
  
  
SOLUTIONSplus - Integrating Urban Electric Mobility Solutions in the Context of the Paris Agreement, the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda. Demonstration actions will be launched in Hanoi (Vietnam), Pasig (Philippines), Lalitpur/Kathmandu (Nepal), Kigali (Rwanda), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Quito (Ecuador), Montevideo (Uruguay), Madrid (Spain), Nanjing (China) and Hamburg (Germany).


Smart Energy Solutions for Africa (SESA) is a collaborative project between the European Union and nine African countries (Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and Tanzania ) that aims at providing energy access technologies and business models that are easily replicable and generate local opportunities for economic development and social cohesion in Africa

8 February 2023. Horizon Europe Nigerian National Contact Points’ Network Launch Event & Presentation of Work Programme 2023-2024 and its Africa Initiative II – Focus on Nigeria

Testimonials by Nigerian scientists who are participating in Horizon Europe or who participated in Horizon 2020

• Prof Michael Faborode, Horizon Europe NCP Coordinator 
• Dr Maruf Sanni, Research Officer, National Centre for Technology Management (Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action grantee)

9 February 2023. Webinar sur le programme-cadre Horizon Europe pour la Recherche et l’Innovation – Focus sur le Programme de travail (PT) 2023-2024 et l'Initiative Afrique II et les opportunités pour le Sénégal

Les points de vue des scientifiques du Sénégal ayant participé aux programmes européens de R&I

• Prof Ousman THIARE, Université Gaston Berger de Saint Louis (Projets WAZIUP, Open Innovation Platform for IoT Big Date in Sub-saharan Africa, Enabling Tech Hubs to Support Developers and Startups in building low cost end-to-end IoT solutions, and One Health Approaches to Support Agroecolocial Transformations of Peri-Urban Farming - URBANE)
  
  
  
  WAZIUP is a European Union-Africa project developing IoT technologies in Africa. “Wazi” is a Swahili word for “open”: WAZI-UP opens-up new IoT technologies for African countries. It develops cutting edge IoT, cost-effective communications and big data technologies for the needs of the developing countries.
  
  
  
  URBANE- will design real-world case studies that cover different agroecological zones focused on Western Africa. Through sustainable agroecological practices in the peri-urban environment, URBANE aims to make cities more sustainable and inclusive, while boosting the productivity of small-scale food producers located in the peri-urban environment.
  
  
• Dr Cheickh Sadibou FALL, Bureau d'Analyses Macro-Economiques (BAME) Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles (ISRA) (Projet AgfoodTrade, FP7)
• Dr Xavier BERTHET Directeur scientifique Institut Pasteur de Dakar (projets ZikaPlan, Zikalliance, EVA G, MediLab Secure, LabPlus Africa)
  
  

9 February 2023. Horizon Europe Launch Event – Focus on WP 2023-2024 and Africa Initiative II - Focus on Ethiopia

The points of view of Ethiopian scientists who participated in European R&I programmes and National Contact Points

• Dr Solomon Benor, Horizon Europe NCP for Ethiopia
• Dr Adane Mihret, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa (AHRI)

14 February 2023. Horizon Europe Launch Event – Focus on WP 2023-2024 and Africa Initiative II, Mauritius

The points of view of scientists who participated in European R&I programmes

• Nadine Laguette from Mauritius is Group Leader - Molecular Basis of Inflammation Lab chez Institut de Génétique Humaine, Montpellier, France, Nominated by. European Research Council (ERC)

15 February 2023. Événement virtuel « Horizon Europe –WP 2023-2024: focus sur l'initiative méditerranéenne »

16 February 2023. Virtual Event “Horizon Europe –WP 2023-2024: Focus on the Mediterranean Initiative”

27 February 2023. Horizon Europe South African National Contact Points’ Network Announcement & Presentation of Work Programme 2023-2024 and its Africa Initiative II – Focus on South Africa

Sharing experience and best practice from a South African Perspective:

• Experience by one NCP. (Dr Barend Taute, Former NCP for Security) 
• Experience by Researcher #1. (TBC) 
• Experience by Emerging Researcher #2. (Ms Sumeera Gopal, MSc (PhD candidate) Nuclear Physics, University of Western Cape 

Supporting Sustainable Agriculture for Improved Food security and safety in the Republic of Mauritius

Attorney General, Minister of
Agro-Industry and Food Security,
Mr. Maneesh Gobin and the
Ambassador of the European Union
to Mauritius, Mr. Vincent Degert,
at the Farmer Training School in Wootun.

10 February, 2020. Mauritius. Press Release Govermenment of Mauritius. The Development-Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture Initiative (DeSIRA), developed by the European Union, will enhance the research and development capacity of the Food and Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (FAREI) for sustainable and modern agriculture.

Mauritius has been chosen for the implementation of specific activities under the initiative ‘Supporting Sustainable Agriculture for Improved Food security and safety in the Republic of Mauritius’. 

FAREI has been awarded a grant of Rs 100 M (EUR 2.450 M) which will be implemented over a period of 36 months, with the aim of fostering innovation in agriculture through the consolidation of the institute’s research and development capacity to address climate challenges and development of climate smart practices for sustainable production.

The FAREI contributes significantly to the agro-industry sector of the country and has made key achievements. The institute has a pool of well-qualified and competent technicians and there is a need for officers working on site to be taken on board during the implementation of key project activities so that they are familiarised with the necessary information regarding the implementation of the DeSIRA initiative. Mr. Maneesh Gobin, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security

Promoting sustainable agriculture is key for the survival of mankind and essential for the legacy of a safe and secure planet for the next generations to come. In shifting to green and smart agriculture and Mauritius is among the few countries to recognise the need to adopt sustainable development principles to agriculture. If countries join forces and move together, they will move faster towards the common goal of saving the planet. Mr. Vincent Degert Ambassador of the European Union to Mauritius

The Specific Objectives of this support are:

• Enhanced food and nutrition security to address the country’s vulnerability to food crisis
• Improved competitiveness of the agricultural sector 
• Strong value chains are promoted 
• Cost of livestock production is significantly reduced
• Food safety and efficient and sustainable production practices/system are promoted 
• Systemic Resilience to Climate Change is developed 
• Sustainable climate smart agriculture practices are adopted by farmers
• Emergence of agro-entrepreneurs is promoted
• A professional approach to farming is adopted
• Improved livestock quality through National Breeding Policies

Background:
The DeSIRA initiative was launched in 2017. The objective is to contribute to climate-relevant, productive and sustainable transformation of agriculture and food systems in low and middle-incomes countries.

The first contracts were signed at the end of 2019 with 20 projects of research and innovation including 6 regional projects for a total reaching €100 million including contributions from European donors. A large number of countries are involved. In Africa : Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria, Chad, Eritrea, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda. In Latin America : Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Central America (proyecto regional).

In 2020, 22 other projects including 31 countries will be finalized.

CAAST-Net Plus Workshop on Horizon 2020 and Erasmus Plus in Mauritius

6-7 February 2017. Port Louis, Mauritius. Around 40 participants attended the CAAST-Net Plus Horizon 2020 and Erasmus Plus workshop.

Presentations and discussions were led by Mrs Nienke Buisman, the European Commission's policy officer for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) relations in Africa, and CAAST-Net Plus partner representatives – Mr Masahudu Fuseini (Science and Technology Policy Research Institute at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Ghana), and Mr George Baroutas (PRAXI Help-Forward Network, Greece).

The discussions were consistent with Mauritius's research priority areas such as biotechnology,

oceans, ICTs, climate and renewable energy, nanotechnology, secure societies and innovation powered by small- and medium-sized enterprises. Presentations focused on the objectives of CAAST-Net Plus, instruments and rules of participation in Horizon 2020 and Erasmus Plus, success stories from Mauritius’s participation in EU research programmes, and training on Horizon 2020 proposal writing and financial management.

The event was co-organised by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Research and Innovation and CAAST-Net Plus. The targeted stakeholder groups ranged from academia, research institutions, private sector and government departments.

• See workshop agenda
• Read the event announcement

International Conference on Agribusiness

20-24 November 2016. The Faculty of Agriculture, University of Mauritius hosted an International Conference on Agribusiness in collaboration with the AFMA (Africa Farm Management Association) from  under the main theme “Sustainable Agricultural Development: Innovation Systems Approach for Agricultural Transformation in Africa”.

Participants were Farm Managers, Scientists, Policymakers and Practitioners in agribusiness and related fields across Africa, America and Europe to exchange information on the development of African agribusiness. 

The sub themes were:

1. Sustainable Agriculture and organic farming
2. Food Safety, Food Security and Nutrition
3. Agribusiness and Farm Management
4. ICT in Agriculture and Agricultural Innovation Systems
5. Biotechnology and Technology Development
6. Climate change and Climate Smart Agriculture
7. Market Development for increased production and Agricultural trade policies

Extract of the programme:

• Identifying consumer buying preferences of beef in South Africa: Christo Bisschoff
• Framework for a voluntary beef traceability system for South Africa on-farm and feedlot: Petronella Calitz
• Indicator based sustainability assessment of the smallholder cattle production system in South
• Africa: Tawanda Marandure
• Technical efficiency of food and drink manufacturig firms in Lagos and Ogun States of Nigeria: Funke Olagunju
• Agricultural Value chain Financing and small scale famers in Nigeria: The prerequisites: Grace Evbuomwan
• Innovation in Agricultural Education and Training (AET): integrating Work-integrated Experiential
• Learning (WIL) into Agricultural Management education at university level: Johan Jordaan
• Access and Use of information in Dairy: A Case Study of Meru and Uasin Gishu Counties, Kenya:
• Stella Makokha
• Factors affecting small-scale farmers’ choice of and Willingness-to-Pay for improved maize
• seed varieties in Homa-Bay and Kisumu Counties, Western Kenya: Philip Nyangweso

Updates on PAEPARD Activities in Mauritius, April - May 2012

Breadfruit Festival in Mauritius

PAEPARD Facilitators sharing information on 
the project activities in Mauritius

The Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security, in collaboration with the Agricultural Research and Extension Unit (AREU) organised a breadfruit festival ("La Fete du Fruit a pain") from 25-27 April 2012 at the Farmers' Training School, Wooton. On this occasion, several activities were proposed to the public, which included a culinary competition, demonstrations on breadfruit propagation techniques, breadfruit processing and value-addition, public lectures on several key topics on breadfruits, and there was also an exhibition on breadfruit by some of the organisations involved in the breadfruit sector in Mauritius. In-line with this event, breadfruit village was also inaugurated at Pamplemousses (a region in the north of Mauritius) on 24th April 2012.Among the different exhibitions, there was an exhibit by the Food and Agricultural Research Council (FARC) and PAEPARD, whereby information on the PAEPARD Project in Mauritius were given to the public.

More information on the Breadfruit Festival in Mauritius can be accessed on this link.

Work session - 10th May 2012

The objective of this work session was to prioritize research areas from the ones identified during the previous work session. 

The prioritization process was explained to the participants by the facilitators:

• From the 10 identified Research areas, the consortium needed to prioritize at most 5 research areas, according to their importance and complexity with respect to the local context. 
• A prioritization questionnaire was designed and participants were required to rate the research areas accordingly 
• The prioritization questionnaire and the list of research areas were provided to each participant 
• Starting from the first research area to the last on the list, each one of them was rated according to the different criteria.

By the end of the work session 5 Research areas were prioritised.Some pictures of the work session can be viewed in the following Slide Show:

Work Session - 16th May 2012

The picture is an example showing how the research questions
were generated formulated for each of the 5 research areas

The work session organized on 16th May 2012 was a follow-up to the work session held on 10th May 2012, whereby 5 research areas were prioritized.The objective of this work session was to formulate research questions that would be developed into concept notes.Participants were explained by the facilitators about how to formulate the research questions under each research area. For each of the research area, there was a central question, secondary questions, and tertiary questions. From all these questions that were generated, a research title was formulated for each research area. 

By the end of the work session 5 Research titles were formulated under each Prioritized Research areas.In the next workshop that would be organized in June 2012, concept notes would be developed for each Research title.

Presentation at the IAALD Africa Chapter Conference

Nawsheen Hosenally during the presentation

A paper on the wiki of the Mauritius Breadfruit Sector Consortium (supported by PAEPARD) was presented at the IAALD Africa Chapter Conference 

held in Johannesburg, South Africa from 21-23 May 2012.

Presentation: "The use of ICTs to facilitate collaboration in a Multi-Stakeholder Partnership: A case study of the Mauritius Breadfruit Sector Consortium" by N.Hosenally and K.Bheenick
Click here to read full paper