New Report on Agricultural Research and Development (R&D) in Africa

Apr 7, 2011 by IFPRI

Overall investment in R&D increased by more than 20 percent from 2001-2008, but most of this growth occurred in only a handful of countries and spending actually declined in many others.

Press Release

New Study Shows Agricultural R&D in Africa Hindered by Significant Challenges
Download: English | Français | Kiswahili

Factsheet

Country Facts: Key Trends in Agricultural Research and Development (R&D) since 2000
Download: English | Français

For more detailed information on individual countries, you can access longer Country Notes at: http://www.asti.cgiar.org/countries (and click on Sub-Saharan Africa)

Report

African Agricultural R&D in the New Millennium: Progress for Some, Challenges for Many
April 2011. IFPRI Food Policy Report.
Download: English | Français

Graphs

• Absolute Levels of R&D Spending and Staffing by Country
• Spending: Overall and Countries with Greatest Increases & Decreases
• Spending: Annual Growth Rates by Country

Range of Sub-Saharan Africans Likely to Feel Food Price Hikes

April 4, 2011. Gallup does an annual ‘world poll’ in 100 countries and this year focussed on food security, especially in Sub Saharan Africa. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The current spike in global food prices is likely to affect substantial numbers of sub-Saharan Africans who were already struggling to afford food. A median of 57% of residents across 28 countries that Gallup surveyed in 2009 and 2010 said there were times in the past 12 months when they did not have enough money to buy the food that they or their families needed. This percentage was as high as 87% in the Central African Republic and higher than 60% in several countries.

Findings?

• Sub-Saharan Africans perceive agriculture (20%) and jobs (19%) as the most important issues for their governments to address
• Two-thirds (66%) of sub-Saharan Africans say their government is not doing enough to help people get food
• Nearly 6 in 10 (59%) say there have been times in the last 12 months when they did not have enough money to buy the food that they or their family needed
• Over a third of sub-Saharan Africans say they or their families have gone without food in the last 12 months several times, many times or always
• Sub-Saharan Africans across 26 countries rank reducing poverty and reducing hunger as the top two most important goals

Survey Methods

Results are based on face-to-face interviews with approximately 1,000 adults, aged 15 and older, conducted in 2009 and 2010 in 28 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Surveys were conducted in both years in all countries except Burundi, Congo (Kinshasa), Ivory Coast, Malawi, Rwanda, and Zambia. In those cases, 2009 results are reported alongside 2010 results. Surveys in 2010 were conducted between February and December. Surveys in 2009 were conducted between August and November, except for the Ivory Coast where surveys were conducted in April.

Land deals in Africa

The International Institute for Environment and Development released in March a new report.

Land deals in Africa: What is in the contracts? Over the past few years, agribusiness, investment funds and government agencies have been acquiring long-term rights over large areas of land in Africa. Together with applicable national and international law, contracts define the terms of an investment project, and the way risks, costs and benefits are distributed. Who has the authority to sign the contract and through what process greatly influences the extent to which people can have their voices heard. Yet very little is known about the exact terms of the land deals. Drawing on the legal analysis of twelve land deals from different parts of Africa, this report discusses the contractual issues for which public scrutiny is most needed, and aims to promote informed public debate about them. More Information and Download: http://pubs.iied.org/12568IIED.html

Agroecology and the Right to Food,

De Schutter argues that agroecology is the best strategy for tackling hunger. (Photo credit: Bernard Pollack)

08/03/2011. This twenty-one page report Agroecology and the Right to Food details agroecology’s ability to provide food for the world’s hungry, outlining policy recommendations that nations can implement in order to help shift their agriculture systems to more sustainable methods.  

According to De Schutter, agroecological methods will be increasingly important as climate change takes a bigger hold on sub-Saharan Africa and other parts of the developing world. “Agroecology also contributes to mitigating climate change, both by increasing carbon sinks in soil organic matter and above-ground biomass, and by avoiding carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gas emissions from farms by reducing direct and indirect energy use,” says De Schutter.

De Schutter also calls for incorporating individual small-scale farmers into the policy process as a way to disseminate their knowledge and help lift them out of poverty. As illustrated by De Schutter, “We won’t solve hunger and stop climate change with industrial farming on large plantations. The solution lies in supporting small-scale farmers’ knowledge and experimentation, and in raising incomes of smallholders so as to contribute to rural development.”

Related: 08/04/2011 U.N. report criticizes industrial farming

PIP: User manual: quality for fruit and vegetables

PIP is a European cooperation programme that helps companies from the ACP countries to meet quality requirements in the field of food safety and traceability. The PIP programme has promoted exportation of fruit and vegetable products from these countries and has also led to the creation of new professionals who now contribute to the development of their local economies.

These results have been reached thanks to massive communication actions that were addressed to a very wide targetaudience. The PIP Infocom system is innovative, interactive, attractive and dynamic and conveys a positive message of European cooperation in the filed of agriculture.


PIP: User manual: quality for fruit and vegetables door EUintheWorld

Reducing Pest Damage Without Damaging the Environment

The project’s researchers showed Ugandan farmers that IPM methods were “better, safer, and cheaper” than applying pesticides by conducting farmer field experiments and field research to find easy-to-apply tactics. (Photo credit: Shanidov, Flickr Commons)

31/03/2011. The Integrated Pest Management Collaborative Research Support Program (IPM CRSP), supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and managed by Virginia Tech’s Office of International Research, Education, and Development (OIRED), works with farmers and universities to reduce the damage caused by pests without harming people or the planet.

One of eight collaborative research support programs set up by USAID, IPM CRSP supports research and education in 33 countries to spread adoption of the alternative agricultural approachIntegrated Pest Management (IPM).

IPM includes a variety of methods to reduce chemical inputs, such as planting pest-resistant crop varieties, waiting to plant for several months during “no-host periods” to reduce opportunities for pests to reproduce, and using organic controls, such as insects that eat pests. When absolutely necessary, temporary and low-toxic pesticides are used by farmers.

Supported by the IPM CRSP program, researchers from the U.S. partner with local scientists, universities, and farmers to transfer knowledge and skills about IPM. In Kampala, Uganda, for example, IPM CRSP worked with local scientists from Makerere University to show tomato growers how to use techniques that reduced pesticide use by 75 percent.

Facilitating multi-actor change

Facilitating multi-actor change

Boosting the honey trade – Ethiopia

In English: Facilitating multi-actor change, article 16 pages, Dec. 2010
In French: Facilitation des processus plurilateraux, article de 16 pages, dec 2010

In the practice of capacity development, there has been a gradual shift away from training individuals to strengthening organizations. Currently, the emphasis seems to be shifting again; from working with single organisations to facilitating multi-stakeholder processes (MSPs).

Donor agencies are learning that most development challenges cannot be addressed by individual organisations. Agencies face the challenge of developing new ways of providing funding that allow for effective engagement with MSPs.

Donors face the challenge in ensuring that established donor-recipient relationships do not undermine support for MSPs. Donors need to recognise that they are also part of the system and that their role can beneficial but also harmful to MSPs.

Facilitating MSPs requires considerable skill. Many of these competencies can be acquired through research, while others are honed through experience. While MSPs may be about working towards a common vision, they are also an arena for power games. This is not necessarily a bad thing.

“The role of a trusted broker is to decrease the levels of risk for actors to engage and who helps them to do things that they did not consider feasible before” (Kenyan advisor, Thomas Were, one of the co-authors of enclosed article.

Interview with Advisor Thomas Were on the new livestock market in Samburu, Kenya

Related:

The Change Alliance is an emerging global network of organisations joining forces to increase the effectiveness of the multi-stakeholder processes in which they engage. Its aim is to help improve the quality of the design, dialogue, learning, and facilitation, on which these processes depend. The logic of the Alliance is that complex problems demand a new dynamic of how governments, citizens, business and civil society organisations work together. On the NING, their online learning platform you will find interesting discussions, a Q&A section, blogs and announcements from members of the Change Alliance. For a short introduction to the change alliance you can read and share the four-pager "the Change Alliance in a nutshell"

New EIARD website

There is a new EIARD website @  www.eiard.org

This site will bring you updated information on 

• The strategy of The European Initiative on Agricultural Research for Development (EIARD) 
• membership and governance 
• Agricultural Research for Development related reports 
• thematic studies and policy documents (generated by EIARD or by its members 
• Example: a series of DFID impact studies 
• and much more like: Interviews with EIARD members

Jonathan Wadsworth (EIARD chair) (Senior Agricultural Research advisor DFID)
reflecting on EIARD achievements, challenges in ARD and the value of EIARD 

(Uppsala, Sweden, October 2010.)

Empowering Smallholder Farmers in Markets

One of the side events at the 3rd European Forum on Rural Development was about Linking smallholder farmers to efficient markets. Wednesday, March 30th. This side event was coordinated by Agrinatura. The moderator: was Giel Ton of ESFIM. 

Case Studies:

1. Costa Rica: Fernando Saenz
2. Ghana: Matieyedou Kolambigue
3. Kenya: Daphne Gatwiri
4. Vietnam: Paule Moustier
5. Tanzania: Jacob Maiseli

Background

ESFIM’s overall objective is to generate demand-driven action research supportive to the policy activities undertaken by farmers’ organisations to strengthen the capacities of smallholder farmers in developing countries to generate remunerative cash income from markets by creating an enabling policy and regulatory environment as well as effective economic organisations and institutions.

Collaborative Research

There is a research support to eleven national farmers’ organisations that strengthen their capacities to formulate feasible, evidence-based propositions for changes in key elements in the institutional environment that empower smallholder farmers in markets.

Activities: NFOs from the selected countries will steer a research partnership for empowering their smallholder farmers in markets using research support of European and local researchers to feed discussions on smallholder market access within a farmer driven platform and a sequence of participatory workshops.

Outputs: NFO’s will have a pro-active lobby agenda related with smallholder farmers in markets, and a set of written technically sound propositions for changes in specific key elements in the institutional environment

Results: NFO’s will be capable to more effectively voice their specific research requirements and link up with researchers that can support them in executing their research activities.

The activities related to the Collaborative Research benefited in particular from a grant from the Dutch Ministry of Economy, Agriculture and Innovation (EL&I) with funds from the Dutch Ministry of Development Cooperation (DGIS). Most of the funds are used to pay for the local research support and participatory workshops and will be subcontracted to the eleven participating National Farmers Organizations (NFOs). 

Comparative Research

In parallel to Collaborative Research actions, the activities related to Comparative Research continue and focus on Innovative Financial Models, Market Information Systems, Incentives in Collective Marketing and Risk Insurance. First outcomes of the research are now available through the ESFIM web-site.

European Research Partner

AGRINATURA 

The AGRINATURA members involved in the ESFIM research are:
Wageningen University and Research Centre (Wageningen UR)
Natural Resources Institute (NRI)
Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD)

Main Partners

IFAD – International Fund for Agricultural Development
AGRICORD – Alliance of Agri-agencies

CTA – Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU

Collaborative Research Partners : 

Benin / Kenya / Madagascar / Malawi / South Africa / Uganda / India / Phillipines / Peru / Uruguay / Costa Rica

For more detailed results, please refer to the “expected results” heading of each country work package.

3rd European Forum on Rural Development

29th March-1st April 2011. The 3rd European Forum on Rural Development was held in Palencia, Spain. This forum was an initiative by the European Commission and EU Presidency with the support of France, Germany, Ireland, the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development and CTA. Around 500 experts in rural development form all around the world attended.

The Global Donor Platform is an alliance of 34 donor institutions, including agencies in France, Spain, Sweden, Belgium, Germany the European Commission, the World Bank and others. Each agency has a so-called “Focal Point”, a contact who mediates between his own agency and coordinating organs in the Global Donor Platform

Six breakout session (download their programmes here) focussed on:

1. Institutions and policies for effective governance of rural development
2. Ecologically efficient agricultural systems for smallholder farmers
3. Access to land and other natural resources
4. Food Security and Social Protection
5. Role of rural women in achieving food security and
6. Linking smallholder farmers to efficient markets.

Interview with Brian Baldwin. Brian Baldwin is the Vice-Chair of the Global Donor Platform and a Senior Operations Advisor for the International Fund on Agricultural Development (IFAD). In this video he talks about the successes of the Forum – and why it is necessary to involve Parliamentarians into rural development policies.

Interview with Willem Olthof. Willem Olthof is currently tasked with agricultural development issues in DG Development of the European Commission. Besides, he is the Focal Point for the Global Donor Platform, sharing Commission ideas and interests with other members of the platform. In this video he talks about his work as a focal point and his impressions of the Forum.



Besides the breakout session several side events were organised.

At a side event of EIARD, EFARD and AGRINATURA discussed the role of Agricultural Research: a drive of rural development.

Another remarked side event was about Rural financing. Betty Wampfler of CIRAD presented a case study which resulted from the research Organisations professionnelles agricoles et institutions financières rurales. Construire une nouvelle alliance au service de l'agriculture familiale. 


IFAD organized a side event on the Support to Farmers' Organizations in Africa Programme (SFOAP) with the participation of Elizabeth Atangana, the President PROPAC.


At a side event of the CTA, policy-makers and field experts debated the role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in rural development. 80 participants followed panel debates on ICTs policies, promoting extension services to farmers and improving market access for farmers.

Interview with CTA Director Michael Hailu, who chaired the discussions.

Type: booklet
108 pages
Download  [12 MB]

One of the side events of the EC presented the “EU Food Facility”. For this facility the Commission unblocked a sum of 1 bn €, to be used in the period from 2008 to 2012. More than half of the funds have been allocated to international organizations like the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) for programmes in developing countries. But NGOs and the Commission itself also received some of the funds, said Willem Olthof, responsible for agricultural development issues in DG DEVCO at a side event about the EU Food Facility. The Commission screened a short film about the implementation of EU Food Facility Programmes.

Interview with T.K. Omana of RASTA: the Rural Agency for Social and Technological Advancement. RASTA began in 1984 as a branch of a globally reputed institution, the Barefoot College , the Social Work and Research Center of Tilonia, Rajasthan with the belief that solution to rural problems lie within the community.

RASTA addresses the problems of rural people especially women, indigenous communities, small and marginal farmers related to agriculture deterioration, rural unemployment, food security, technology gaps in rural development, backwardness of women and tribal communities, water and sanitation, conservation of ecosystems, health and decentralized governance.

Mycotoxin reduction – Global solutions

4/6 April 2011 - Cape Town South Africa

“Mycotoxin reduction – Global solutions"

The MycoRed Africa 2011 Conference brought together a range of international experts to discuss mycotoxicological issues in general and mycotoxin reduction measures in particular.

The Conference was held from under the auspices of the International Society for Mycotoxicology. The academic programme addressed a wide range of issues concerning mycotoxins, including their production by mycotoxigenic fungi, natural occurrence, their fate during processing from farm to plate, toxicology and regulatory control. Emphasis was placed on the conference theme, but prominence was given to the problems in different African environments and their potential solutions.


One of the presentations addressed the Biological control of Aflatoxins: Experiences from Africa (Ranajit Bandyopadhyay, IITA, Ibadan). IITA worked with partners to develop a safe and natural biocontrol method that drastically cuts aflatoxin contamination in African food crops. The resulting product is called aflasafe™ 

Related: PAEPARD Interview with Dr. Angelo Visconti, Institute of Sciences of Food Production (ISPA), National Research Council (CNR) Bari, Italy (Bio Circle working visit, 2nd of April 2010).

The EC FP7 MycoRed project builds significantly on the outcome of several European projects (through most coordinators/partners of FP5 and FP6). Because of the scale of the problem, which also affects European crops, the European Commission has funded a number of research projects to investigate several aspects related to toxic fungi and mycotoxins in food crops. The MYCO-GLOBE Specific Support Action of the VI Framework Programme, begun in October 2004, has been set up to exchange results with other countries that have bilateral science and technology agreements with the EU, within the wider framework of a global information system on mycotoxins and toxigenic fungi. A consortium of international experts, acting as the MYCO-GLOBE steering committee, decided to found the “International Society for Mycotoxicology” in order to more effectively disseminate knowledge and skills on Toxigenic Fungi and Mycotoxins. 


Related: 

Mycotoxins Detection Methods, Management, Public Health and Agricultural Trade

Edited by J Leslie, Kansas State University, USA, R Bandyopadhyay, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Nigeria, A Visconti, Institute of Sciences of Food Production, Italy

Content: Mycotoxins are produced worldwide by several fungi on a wide range of agricultural commodities and are closely related to human and animal food chains. Examining mycotoxins and their impact from a public health viewpoint, this book provides an overview and introduction to the subject and examines the health, trade and legislation issues involved. Management of mycotoxins is discussed in detail as well as the global problems caused by mycotoxins.

Grants to build agricultural commodity “value chains” to improve the productivity of sorghum, millet, cassava, sweet potato, potato and bean farmers

A new program that provides grants to bioscientists working to improve food production and environmental management in eastern Africa was launched on 16th of March at the Nairobi headquarters of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). Visit the website for more information.

The newly established Bioresources Innovation Network for Eastern Africa Development (Bio-Innovate) Program—provides competitive grants to African researchers who are working with the private sector and non-governmental organizations to find ways to improve food security, boost resilience to climate change and identify environmentally sustainable ways of producing food.

IIn its first three-year phase, the program is supporting five research-based projects working to improve the productivity of sorghum, millet, cassava, sweet potato, potato and bean farmers; to help smallholder farmers adapt to climate change; to improve the processing of wastes in the production of sisal and coffee; and to better treat waste water generated in leather processing and slaughterhouse operations.

In a second call for proposals, beginning mid-2011, Bio-Innovate will help build agricultural commodity “value chains” in the region and a supportive policy environment for bioresource innovations.

The five-year program is funded by a USD12-million grant from the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida). Bio-Innovate is managed by ILRI and co-located with the Biosciences eastern and central Africa (BeCA) Hub at ILRI’s Nairobi campus. Bio-Innovate will be implemented in Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda

Bio-Innovate is building on a previous project that trained 20 regionally recruited bioscientists to PhD level. Now the new Program plans to move from research outputs into partnerships with private sector players and other delivery mechanisms. The real focus and the success of Bio-Innovate will be delivery of products to African farmers. See interview with Gabrielle Persley, Senior Advisor to the Director General of ILRI

Watch the short (2-minute) filmed interview of Calestous Juma by ILRI:

In the interview, Juma, says that biosciences offer many regions in Africa an opportunity to produce surplus food for the first time. ‘Without biosciences research within Africa, agriculture will face a difficult future. The Bio-Innovate Program is important because it will stimulate new industries that are linked to the life sciences. Farmers will not benefit from producing more food unless they can get it to markets to process and sell.

‘Rwanda after the genocide, the first thing they did was to modernize agriculture. And Rwanda has started to feed itself.’

PAEPARD: ARD funding opportunities

A G R I C U L T U R E

Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) -- Partners for Development 2011  

Canada's CIDA announces a call for proposals under its Partners for Development program.  The call is open to Canadian organizations in partnership with organizations in developing counties.  CIDA provides guidance on the cost-sharing ratios and eligible countries.  Increased food security and environmental sustainability are among the priority themes. Proposals for over C$2 million are due 31 March 2011;  proposals for under C$2 million are due 28 April 2011. 

African Union Research Grant Program -- Open Call 2011  

The African Union invites proposals for research in themes of (i) post-harvest and agriculture; (ii) renewable and sustainable energy; and (iii) water and sanitation in Africa.  Applications require partnerships of at least three organizations from at least two African countries.  Eligibility is open to qualified organizations in the African Union, the ACP countries, the EU member states and candidate countries, the European Economic Area, and least-developed countries as defined by the United Nations.  The deadline is now 3 May 2011.

Ramsar Small Grants Fund -- Funding 2011 

The Ramsar Small Grants support projects in wetlands conservation and wise use in developing countries.  Projects can be proposed by individuals, government agencies, and NGOs.  Funding is up to US$40 thousand per project.  The deadline for applications is 30 June 2011.  (Applicants intending to use the SGF advisory service (optional) must submit drafts to the regional advisers before 30 April.) 

Seed Storage for Vulnerable Populations.  

USAID invites applications for pilot projects to improve post-harvest seed and grain storage for small-scale subsistence farmers in developing countries. Eligibility for grants extends to NGOs, for-profit organizations, and colleges and universities in the USA and other countries. Funding Opportunity APS-OFDA-11-000005.  The deadline is 16 May 2011.   

Food Security in Guinea-Bissau

The EC will fund projects to reduce food insecurity in Guinea-Bissau to include support for agricultural cooperatives; improved seed production; and strengthening of horticulture, fisheries, oil palm, livestock, etc.  Eligibility extends to nonprofit organizations in Guinea-Bissau, EU member states, and inter-governmental organizations. Reference EuropeAid/131181/L/ACT/GW.  Closing date is 24 June 2011. 

DFID/ESRC Growth Program

The UK's Department for International Development (DFID) and the UK's Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) co-sponsor the DFID/ESRC Growth Programme.  The program funds research on issues of inclusive economic growth in low-income countries, including a theme on "Agriculture and Growth."  Up to 30 research projects will be supported, with an average size of £370 thousand, for periods of one to three years.  The program is open to UK and non-UK institutions.  Applicants submit their proposals through an online system; registration is recommended at least four weeks prior to the deadline of 26 May 2011.

B I O D I V E R S I T Y
Tropical Biology Association.  

The TBA offers annual small grants for conservation projects and research in Sub-Saharan Africa.  The call is open to TBA alumni groups. The application deadline is 30 April 2011.

ACP/FLEGT 4th Call for Proposals  

ACP-FLEGT makes grants to support Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade in the ACP (African, Caribbean, and Pacific) countries.  The program is funded by the European Commission and administered by FAO's Forestry Department.  Eligible applicants are ACP government institutions, civil society organizations, and private-sector organizations.  Maximum funding is 100 thousand euros for pilot projects; 50 thousand euros for technical assistance projects; and 25 thousand euros for direct assistance to governments in ACP countries. The deadline for proposals is 20 May 2011. 

Grants in Ecological Agriculture 2011  

The Ekhaga Foundation (Sweden) makes grants for research in ecological agriculture and biological medicine.  Universities, research institutes, etc., from all over the world are invited to apply, although Ekhaga recommends cooperation with a European institution.  Applications should be mailed to Ekhaga’s postal address before 31 May 2011. 

The Biodiversity Foundation (Spain)

announced its 2011 call for proposals in biodiversity, climate change, and sustainable development.  The Foundation supports conservation field projects, research, education and training, and public awareness in Spain and internationally.  The funding for international cooperation (one component of the call) is open to Spanish organizations; nonprofit organizations in EU countries; nonprofit organizations in developing countries that have international support from Spain (e.g., through AECID); and international organizations.  Most international projects to date are in Latin America, and to a lesser extent in Sub-Saharan Africa.  However, there are no geographical restrictions. The closing date for applications is 31 August 2011.

C L I M A T E   C H A N G E

Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS)

Research on Gender and Agriculture.  The CCAFS program is supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research with the Earth System Science Partnership.  The call for proposals is open to women scientists enrolled in PhD programs (or interested in post-doctoral opportunities), and who are citizens of (and affiliated with institutions in) Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Bangladesh, India, and Nepal.  Grants are US$35 thousand.  Proposals are due 01 May 2011.