Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Joint ARCH AKIS Workshop


26 - 27 May 2014. Brussels. DG RTD. This workshop focused on closing the divide between research and innovation and was a mutual learning event on innovation pathways in the international (outside EU) domain.The title of this Joint Workshop was: Best strategies for intercontinental research and innovation partnerships: Local needs and research networks for impact on global challenges

Outline of the workshop:
  1. Opportunities to align research themes for AR and ARD • What are the global challenges? • What are the benefits of bringing the two worlds together? 
  2. Innovation Partnership Approaches • Intercontinental public-private partnerships using Interactive innovation approaches • Linking local innovation needs with global efforts • Lessons learnt from Innovation Partnership Approaches 
  3. Strategies for aligning funding for research and innovation • Summary of Case Studies • Funding strategies 
  4. Towards advice from the workshop • HLPD • IntensAfrica 
The workshop was chaired by the four co-chairs of ARCH and Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS). A template with preparatory issues will be sent out prior to the workshop. 


The workshop outcomes will provide inputs for the Expert Group which is supporting the EU-Africa High Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD) on Science, Technology and Innovation which has identified food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture as a main focus. Outcomes will also feed into the SCAR Plenary in June and the EIARD WG meeting.

Highlights:


Small scale cold storage for dairy products in Ethiopia.
In this pilot, Mueller bv (cooling unit production company) is working with Wageningen University and Research, SNV and a local Ethiopian entrepreneur to develop a small cooling unit for small-scale dairy farmers. This enables producers to preserve the quality of their fresh dairy during storage and transport. It enables them to sell their produce to higher value maker segments, such as local processors or retailers in urban areas. For the farmers this means higher income opportunities. For retailers and processors this means access to local quality products. It also means less dairy waste and may generate new job opportunities for local entrepreneurs.
Theme: Sustainable foodPartners: Mueller, SNV, Wageningen University and Research, local partners
BoP region: Africa (Ethiopia)
Role of the BoP Innovation Center: support and facilitate the project, capture and share learnings
Roger Leakey on the role of agroforestry on poverty alleviation.
 
  • Lessons already learnt from preparation of IntensAfrica by Philippe Petithuguenin, CIRAD (related PAEPARD blog post 08/04/2013: Pathways to sustainable intensification of agriculture)
  • Information from the Commission on Expert Group which will support the EU-Africa High Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD) on Science, Technology and Innovation by Hans-Jörg Lutzeyer and Nienke Buisman, DG RTD
Related:
Published on 14 Mar 2014. Paulus Verschuren, Special Envoy Food and Nutrition Security for Development at the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides insights from the 'Feeding the World 2014' conference in London (13/02/2014) on how the Dutch government goes about in bringing stakeholders together in the field of food and nutrition security. He discusses in particular the role of the private sector, the role of the multi nationals, the role of social corporate responsibility, the Feed the Future Initiative. The colleagues from Germany (Donor Platform Secretariat), USA (USAID +  World Vision), the Netherlands and Finland (Embassy of Finland in Nairobi) contributed to the discussion.


Related:
Food, farmers and markets. Inclusive, competitive and sustainable food systems
May 2014, 24 pages

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