First PAEPARD II consortium meeting: launching and project management meeting

10-11/02/2010. Brussels. To initiate the implementation of the Platform for African – European Partnership in Agricultural Research for Development, the consortium partners agreed to have a launching meeting in to sort out all gaps and clarify roles and responsibilities to ensure effective and efficient implementation of PAEPARD II.

The main output of the meeting is a roadmap on how to initiate the activities of PAEPARD II. The discussions were held on three major issues:

1. Project concepts and proposal. To review the basic concepts conceived by the consortium partners and the proposal approved by the European consortium. Changes and adjustments to the work package activities and resources were clarified and highlighted. A tentative work plan for 2010 will developed for each work package following the Brussels’ face to face meeting, based on the action plan submitted to the EC and the logical framework. Linkages amongst the work package and synergies in certain activities were identified.
2. Budgets and Financial management. To review the actual resources, based on the approved budget by the EC and expected consortium partner’s contributions. Each of the work package budgets required slight adjustments. Clear disbursements and reporting to the Coordinator are to guide the cash flows to various institutions. Required agreements between partners or amongst the consortium partners were also discussed.
3. Governance, management and facilitation. The proposal gave background information on the project’s various governing bodies such as the steering committee, consortium partners, associate partners and facilitation unit.Relationships and reporting mechanisms amongst these various groups were discussed and clarified for all concerned parties. 

Participants: 

Christian Hoste, France, CIRAD

Ale Nelida, France, CIRAD

Joel Sor, France, CIRAD

 Catherine Guichard, France, COLEACP

Myra Wopereis, Benin/Ghana, FARA

Adewale Adekunle, Ghana, FARA

Monty Jones, Ghana, FARA

Marie Gbolie, Ghana, FARA

Paul Kibwika, RUFORUM, Uganda

Jon Daane, the Netherlands

Enrico Baccioni, Italy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Istituto Agronomico per l'Oltremare (IAO)

Laura Paternoster, Italy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Istituto Agronomico per l'Oltremare (IAO)

Anne Sorenson, Denmark, University of Copenhagen,  

Alex Percy-Smith, Denmark, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Aarhus University

Stephen Muchiri, Kenya, EAFF

Mamadou Cissokho, Mali, ROPPA

Francis Hale, South Africa, FANRPAN

Julie Flament, Brussels, Collectif Stratégies Alimentaires

Marek Poznanski, Brussels, Collectif Stratégies Alimentaires

David Radcliffe, Brussels, Senior Policy Adviser Agricultural Research for Development

Alejandra Suarez- Allez, Brussels,  AIDCO

Francois Stepman, Brussels, PAEPARD