Inception workshop Capacity Development for Agricultural Innovation Systems (CDAIS)

29-30 January 2105. Paris, France. An inception workshop was organised to start up a newly EC funded project on Capacity Development for Agricultural Innovation Systems (CDAIS). This project will run for a period of 48 months. It involves 44 International and National Agricultural Research and Innovation Organisations that comprise the Partners of the Tropical Agriculture Platform.

The Tropical Agriculture Platform (TAP) has been initiated by the G20 to promote agricultural innovation in tropical countries. To achieve this goal, TAP acts as a multilateral and dynamic facilitation mechanism that enables more effective and streamlined capacity development interventions in agricultural innovation systems.

The objective of this initiative is to establish a global partnership on Capacity Development in Agricultural Innovation Systems. The main activities will be:

• Coordinate and harmonize global efforts on CD for AIS through TAP mechanisms. 
• Analyse, synthesise and document the diversity of CD for AIS definitions, approaches and methodologies 
• Develop a Common Framework on CD for AIS 
• Develop a shared vision of CD for AIS among partners in 8 countries 
• Assess and develop country-led AIS-CD action plans in 8 pilot countries 
• Establish/strengthen mechanisms/ platforms for advocacy, dialogue and action on AIS CD in 8 countries 
• Improve capacity for strengthening capacity in AIS 
• Improve capacity for joint innovation by local/national value chain partnerships 
• Improve the organisational culture, practices and procedures of key stakeholder organisations 3.4 Review, analyze, document, synthesize and compare lessons learned across 8 pilot countries and share them at global level

The partners are AGRINATURA-EEIG, the FAO, and the National Research and Development Agencies in Ethiopia, Rwanda, Niger, Angola, Bangladesh, Laos, Guatemala, Honduras and regional organisations in the regions of these countries.