Sub Sahara African involvement in FP7 projects: Theme 2 “Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnologies

The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) in Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology (FAFB) aims to create a strong and competitive bioeconomy and to off er solutions to challenges facing Europe and the world, such as feeding a growing world population and fighting climate change while mitigating its effects.

This Interim Catalogue of Projects presents 411 projects selected for funding under FP7 Theme 2 “Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnologies” during 5 years (2007-2012). (Directorate-General for Research and Innovation Biotechnologies, Agriculture, Food - Knowledge-based Bioeconomy ; © European Union, 2013 ; 450 pages).

It is bringing together science, industry and other stakeholders to exploit new and emerging research opportunities. Hereunder are the FP7 projects which involve African partners:


ACTIVITY 2.1 - SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION: AGRICULTURE

NEXTGEN  Next generation methods to preserve farm animal biodiversity by optimizing present and future breeding options
Call: FP7-KBBE-2009-3 Optimisation of methods to maintain farm animal biodiversity – SICA.

African partner: 

1. MAKERERE UNIVERSITY (UG)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 2,999,999.00
• PROJECT START DATE: April 2010 
• DURATION: 48 months
• NEXTGEN proposes the bold step of using whole genome data to develop and optimise conservation genetic management of livestock diversity for the foreseeable future. The rationale for choosing whole genome data is to ‘future-proof’ DNA-based analysis in livestock conservation against upcoming changes in technology and analysis. Thus, in the context of whole genome data availability, our global objective is to develop cost-effective optimized methodologies for preserving farm-animal biodiversity, using cattle, sheep, and goats as model species.

ANIMALCHANGE AN Integration of Mitigation and Adaptation options for sustainable Livestock production under climate CHANGE
Call:KBBE-2-1-2 Increased sustainability of all productions systems (agriculture, forestry); plant health and crop protection

African partners: 

1. INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE AGRONOMIQUE DE TUNISIE (TN) 
2. INSTITUT SENEGALAIS DE RECHERCHES AGRICOLES (SN) 
3. UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA (ZA) 
4. INTERNATIONAL LIVESTOCK RESEARCH INSTITUTE - ILRI (KE)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 8,999,535.00
• PROJECT START DATE: March 2011 
• DURATION: 48 months
• ANIMALCHANGE will provide scientific guidance on the integration of adaptation and mitigation objectives and design sustainable development pathways for livestock production in Europe, in Northern and Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. ANIMALCHANGE will inform public policy development in EU27 and propose cooperation programs addressing smallholder livestock farming in selected developing countries

BRIGHTANIMAL Multidisciplinary Approach to Practical and Acceptable Precision Livestock Farming for SMEs in Europe and world-wide 

Call: KBBE-2-1-2 Increased sustainability of all productions systems (agriculture, forestry); plant health and crop protection

African partner: 

1. CONSUMER GOODS COUNCIL OF SOUTH AFRICA (ZA)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 997,425.00
• PROJECT START DATE: March 2009 
• DURATION: 24 months
• Livestock farming has a major role to play in the decades to come. Rising protein intake in the developing countries as well as rising concern for animal health and welfare in the developed countries present serious challenges to farmers. Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) wants to return to the farmer to connect to individual animals or small animal groups in spite of growing intensification. PLF uses technology to give farmers additional hands, ears and eyes.

CA2AFRICA Conservation Agriculture in AFRICA: Analysing and FoReseeing its
Impact - Comprehending its Adoption
Call: KBBE-2-1-2 Increased sustainability of all productions systems (agriculture, forestry); plant health and crop protection

African partners: 

1. AFRICAN CONSERVATION TILLAGE NETWORK (KE)
2. INSTITUTE DE L'ENVIRONNEMENT ET DE RESEARCHES AGRICOLES (BF)
3. INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE AGRONOMIQUE (MA-Morocco)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 999,808.00
• DURATION: 30 months
• PROJECT START DATE: January 2010
• Over 30 months, the overall objective of this project is to assess and learn jointly from past and on-going CA experiences under which conditions and to what extent does CA strengthen the socio-economic position of landholders in Africa.

SOLIBAM: Strategies for Organic and Low-input Integrated Breeding

And Management

Call: KBBE-2-1-2 Increased sustainability of all productions systems (agriculture, forestry); plant health and crop protection

African partners:

1. COORDINATION NATIONALE DES ORGANISATIONS PAYSANNES DU MALI ASSOCIATION (ML)
2. MEKELLE UNIVERSITY (ET)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 5,999,000.00
• DURATION: 54 months
• PROJECT START DATE: March 2010
• The objective of SOLIBAM is to develop novel breeding approaches integrated with practices to improve the performance, quality, sustainability and stability of crops adapted to organic and lowinput systems in Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa.

TESTA: Seed health: development of seed treatment methods, evidence for seed transmission and assessment of seed health.

Call: KBBE-2-1-2 Increased sustainability of all productions systems (agriculture, forestry); plant health and crop protection

African partners:

1. UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA (ZA)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 2,998,384.00
• DURATION: 40 months
• PROJECT START DATE: under negotiation
• Outcomes from the project will include a comprehensive electronic database of seed transmitted diseases and pests, validated detection methods for target species, a validation protocol for assessing the efficacy of disinfection, as well as many key scientific publications.

ARBO-ZOONET: International network for capacity building for the control of
emerging viral vector borne zoonotic diseases
Call: KBBE-2-1-3 Optimised animal health production and welfare
across agriculture

African partners:

1. NATIONAL HEALTH LABORATORY SERVICES (ZA)
2. INSTITUT PASTEUR DE DAKAR (SN)
3. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANISATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS FAO

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 908,470.00
• DURATION: 36 months
• PROJECT START DATE: May 2008
• integrated control measures which include vector control, vaccination programmes, improved therapy strategies, diagnostic tools and surveillance, public awareness, capacity building and improvement of infrastructure in endemic regions.

ICONZ: Integrated control of neglected zoonoses: improving human

health and animal production through scientifi c innovation and

public engagement

Call: KBBE-2-1-3 Optimised animal health production and welfare

across agriculture

African partners:

1. LABORATOIRE CENTRAL VETERINAIRE (ML)
2. INSTITUT AGRONOMIQUE ET VETERINAIRE HASSAN II (MA)
3. UNIVERSIDADE EDUARDO MONDLANE (MZ)
4. MAKERERE UNIVERSITY (UG)
5. STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY (ZA)
6. SOKOINE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE (TZ)
7. UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA (ZM)
8. INTERNATIONAL LIVESTOCK RESEARCH INSTITUTE (KE)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 5,994,998.00
• DURATION: 60 months
• PROJECT START DATE: April 2009
• This project aims at Improving Human Health and Animal Production in developing countries through Integrated Control of Neglected Zoonoses in animals, based on Scientific Innovation and Public Engagement. Neglected zoonoses, such as anthrax, rabies, brucellosis, bovine TB, zoonotic trypanosomiasis, echinococcosis, cysticercosis and leishmaniasis, are major causes of ill-health in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

OH-NEXTGEN: Training of the One Health Next Scientifi c Generation in

the Sahel and Maghreb

Call: KBBE-2-1-3 Optimised animal health production and welfare

across agriculture

African partners:

1. UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA (ZA)
2. INSTITUT AGRONOMIQUE ET VETERINAIRE HASSAN II (MA)
3. ECOLE INTER-ETATS DES SCIENCES ET MEDECINE VETERINAIRES DE DAKAR (SN)
4. UNIVERSITY OF GHANA (GH)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 1,997,402.00
• DURATION: 48 months
• PROJECT START DATE: October 2011
• OH-NEXTGEN will develop a web-based modular training course designed to empower a new generation of scientists to address One Health issues faced by communities in Africa. While this programme is targeted to the Maghreb and the Sahel, the course will be accessible world-wide by off ering training modules through the European Tropical Health Education Network (tropED) and other existing networks.

TB-STEP: Strategies for the eradication of bovine tuberculosis

Call: KBBE-2-1-3 Optimised animal health production and welfare

across agriculture

African partners:

1. UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA (ZA)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 2,894,759.00
• DURATION: 45 months
• PROJECT START DATE: October 2008Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. This infection aff ects domestic and wild animals and represents a major concern worldwide because of its high economic impact due to mortalities, condemnations, decreases in productions, and its zoonotic potential.

ADVANZ:Advocacy for the fi ght against Neglected Zoonotic Diseases

Call: KBBE-2-1-4 Socio-economic research and support to policies

African partners:

1. UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL (ZA)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 499,958.00
• DURATION: 30 months
• PROJECT START DATE: October 2012
• The aim of ADVANZ (Advocacy for Neglected Zoonotic Diseases) is to persuade decision makers and empower stakeholders at local, regional, and international levels towards a coordinated fight against neglected zoonotic diseases (NZD), first and foremost in Africa, where the burden from NZD are heaviest.

AGFOODTRADE: New issues in agricultural, food and bioenergy trade
Call: KBBE-2-1-4 Socio-economic research and support to policies

African partners:

1. INSTITUT SENEGALAIS DE RECHERCHES AGRICOLES (SN)
2. INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE - IFPRI (US)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 2,866,478.00
• DURATION: 41 months
• PROJECT START DATE: May 2008
• AGFOODTRADE helps answer the following questions: what are major trends and driving forces affecting world trade? What is their impact and how should trade policies deal with these processes in the future?

FOODMETRES: Food Planning and Innovation for Sustainable Metropolitan Regions
CallL KBBE-2-1-4 Socio-economic research and support to policies

African partner:

1. UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI (KE)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 1,493,671.00
• DURATION: 36 months
• PROJECT START DATE: under negotiation
• One of the main goals is to identify concepts as well as practical examples for food chain innovation in the context of small-scale urban, peri-urban and peri-urban-rural forms of agriculture and food production up to large-scale metropolitan production regimes geared towards feeding urban populations

JOLISAA: JOint Learning about Innovation Systems in African Agriculture
Call: KBBE-2-1-4 Socio-economic research and support to policies

African partners:

1. UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA (ZA)
2. KENYA AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE (KE)
3. UNIVERSITE D'ABOMEY CALAVI UAC (BJ)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 999,657.00
• DURATION: 42 months
• PROJECT START DATE: February 2010
• The JOLISAA project aims to increase understanding of agricultural innovation systems focusing on smallholders’ livelihoods and the articulation of local/traditional and global knowledge.

QBOL: Development of a new diagnostic tool using DNA barcoding to identify quarantine organisms in support of plant health
Call: KBBE-2-1-4 Socio-economic research and support to policies

African partner:

1. STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY (ZA)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 2,991,433.00
• DURATION: 42 months
• PROJECT START DATE: March 2009
• QBOL wants to make DNA barcoding available for plant health diagnostics and to focus on strengthening the link between traditional and molecular taxonomy as a sustainable diagnostic resource.

SARNISSA: Sustainable Aquaculture Research Networks in Sub Saharan Africa
Call: KBBE-2-1-2 Increased sustainability of all productions systems
(fisheries and aquaculture)

African partners:

1. UNIVERSITY OF MALAWI (MW)
2. INSTITUT DE RECHERCHE AGRICOLE POUR LE DEVELOPPEMENT (CM)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 996,036.00
• DURATION: 36 months
• PROJECT START DATE: February 2008
• The project concept is to build a sustainable aquaculture research network based on academics and other professionals between Europe and Africa, with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa.

TXOTX: Technical eXperts Overseeing Third country eXpertise
Call: KBBE-2-1-2 Increased sustainability of all productions systems
(fisheries and aquaculture)

African partners:

1. UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN (ZA)
2. COLDSTREAM HOLDINGS LTD TRADING AS NFDS AFRICA (BW)
3. SEYCHELLES FISHING AUTHORITY (SC)
4. INSTITUT NATIONAL DE RECHERCHE HALIEUTIQUE (MA)
5. UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM (TZ)
6. TANZANIA FISHERIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE (TZ)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 999,854.00
• DURATION: 36 months
• PROJECT START DATE: April 2008
• The purpose of this Coordination Action is to facilitate a coherent approach towards research directed at the assessment and management of fish resources.

AFSPAN: Aquaculture for Food Security, Poverty Alleviation and Nutrition

Call: KBBE-2-1-4 Socio-economic research and support to policies
African partners:

1. MINISTRY OF FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT (KE)
2. MAKERERE UNIVERSITY (UG)
3. UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA (ZM)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 999,380.00
• DURATION: 36 months
• PROJECT START DATE: January 2012
• The project will strengthen the knowledge base on food security and poverty and develop new methodologies or more rigorous methodologies to quantify the contribution of aquaculture in combating hunger and poverty in developing countries and LIFDCs.

INSTAPA: Novel staple food-based strategies to improve micronutrient status for better health and development in sub-Saharan Africa
Call: KBBE-2-2-2 Nutrition

African partners:

1. UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL (ZA)
2. UNIVERSITE D ABOMEY CALAVI UAC (BJ)
3. INTERNATIONAL CROPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR THE SEMI-ARID TROPICS (IN)
4. UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI (KE)
5. CENTRE NATIONAL DE RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE ET TECHNOLOGIQUE (BF)
6. INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE - IFPRI (US)
7. INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TROPICAL
8. AGRICULTURE (NG)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 5,900,284.00
• DURATION: 60 months
• PROJECT START DATE: June 2008
• This project aims to identify novel staple food-based approaches to improve micronutrient malnutrition in order to improve the health and development of women and children in sub-Saharan Africa.

SUNRAY: Sustainable Nutrition Research for Africa in the Years to come
Call: KBBE-2-2-2 Nutrition

African partners:

1. SOKOINE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE (TZ)
2. FACULTÉ DES SCIENCES AGRONOMIQUES, UNIVERSITÉ D'ABOMEY-CALAVI (BJ)
3. MAKERERE UNIVERSITY (UG)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 968,463.05
• DURATION: 24 months
• PROJECT START DATE: January 2011
• The SUNRAY (Sustainable Nutrition Research for Africa in the Years to come) project will produce a new, sustainable nutrition research agenda for sub-Saharan Africa based on five concepts.

AFTER: African Food Tradition Revisited by Research
Call: KBBE-2-2-3 Food Processing

African partners:

1. UNIVERSITE D'ABOMEY CALAVI UAC (BJ)
2. COUNCIL FOR SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH (ZA)
3. ALEXANDRIA UNIVERSITY (EG)
4. UNIVERSITY OF ANTANANARIVO (MG)
5. ASSOCIATION DE COORDINATION TECHNIQUE POUR L'INDUSTRIE AGROALIMENTAIRE (FR)
6. UNIVERSITE CHEIKH ANTA DIOP DE DAKAR (SN)
7. UNIVERSITE DE NGOUNDERE (CM)
8. ASSOCIATION AFRIQUE AGRO EXPORT (SN)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 2,929,585.00
• DURATION: 45 months
• PROJECT START DATE: September 2010
• AFTER aims to revisit traditional African products, knowledge and know-how in the light
• of new technologies for the benefi t of consumers, producers and processors in Africa and
• Europe.

PROTEINSECT: Enabling the exploitation of Insects as a Sustainable Source of
Protein for Animal Feed and Human Nutrition
Call: KBBE-2-2-3 Food Processing

African partners:

1. FISH FOR AFRICA - GHANA LIMITED BYGUARANTEE (GH)
2. INSTITUT D'ECONOMIE RURALE (ML)
3. CAB INTERNATIONAL (UK)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 2,946,537.00
• DURATION: 39 months
• PROJECT START DATE: February 2013
• PROteINSECT will build a pro-insect platform in Europe to encourage adoption of sustainable protein production technologies in order to reduce the reliance of the feed industry on plant/fish derived proteins in the short term, and promote the acceptance of insect protein as a direct component of human food in the longer term.

related: Edible Insects in a Food Safety and Nutritional Perspective: A Critical Review

MYCORED: Novel integrated strategies for worldwide mycotoxin reduction
in the food and feed chains
Call: KBBE-2-2-5 Environmental Impacts and Total food Chain

African partners:

1. SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (ZA)
2. INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TROPICAL AGRICULTURE (NG)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 5,769,956.00
• DURATION: 54 months
• PROJECT START DATE: April 2009
• The project will develop novel solution-driven methodologies and handling procedures to reduce both pre- and post-harvest contamination in selected feed and food chains. It will also generate and disseminate information and education strategies so as to reduce mycotoxin risks at a global level.

SECUREFISH: Improving food security by reducing post harvest losses in the
fisheries sector
Call: KBBE-2-2-5 Environmental Impacts and Total food Chain

African partners:

1. KENYA MARINE AND FISHERIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE (KE)
2. COUNCIL FOR SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH (GH)
3. UNIVERSITY OF NAMIBIA (NA) 
4. MAYFAIR HOLDINGS LTD (KE)

• EC CONTRIBUTION: € 2,997,422.00
• DURATION: 36 months
• PROJECT START DATE: January 2012
• The overall objectives of SECUREFISH are to strengthen capacity in low cost technology; to improve the preservation of existing fi sh supplies; to utilise waste and bycatch to produce value-added products; to develop an integrated quality management tool and finally to test the developed technology and quality management tool in real conditions different third countries.