Thursday, December 22, 2016

The role of science, technology and innovation policies in SDGs

The role of science, technology and innovation policies to foster the implementation of the sustainable development goals (SDGs)
Report of the Expert Group Follow-up to Rio+20, notably the SDGs
Enrico Giovannini, Ingeborg Niestroy, Måns Nilsson, Françoise Roure, Michael Spanos 
© Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Union, 2016. 56 pages

This report presents the conclusions of the independent expert group on the 'Follow-up to Rio+20, notably the sustainable development goals (SDGs)' that was established by the European Commission (EC) to provide advice on the role of science, technology and innovation (STI) for implementing the new global sustainable development agenda (2030 Agenda). 

The group gives recommendations, both in terms of general policy orientations and concrete areas of engagement, for EU STI policy to contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in Europe and beyond, as well as for possible engagement in international initiatives concerning STI. It recommends the EU to capitalise on its Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, which is seeking to invest more than 60% of its budget for sustainable development and is fully open to international participation.

Some statements:
Switch the focus, reorienting mindsets and behaviours towards SD, reframing the EU’s STI challenges, and refocusing from technology transfer to building innovation capacity. 
Strengthen international partnerships, enhancing engagement with developing countries through existing EU instruments, engaging all stakeholders (especially business), and developing tailor-made international STI initiatives. 
Walk the talk” and establish enabling systems identifying causes of implementation gaps, aligning domestic STI with SDGs, ensuring Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development, seizing benefits from the “data revolution”, and setting up monitoring, evaluation and assessments of STI4SD.

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Long-term agricultural transformations: national scenarios for a global issue

Together with Rothamsted Research, the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) coordinates an international Initiative that focuses on developing, adapting and applying practical toolkits for countries to build national pathways that could help them meet the targets of high priority for the future transformation and development of their agriculture and food sector.

The primary outcomes this Initiative will achieve will be:
  1. A comprehensive understanding of transformation pathways, supporting national debates;
  2. An international learning platform;
  3. Concrete knowledge on how to deliver the SDGs.
In both Southern and Northern countries, the continuation and extension of large-scale, highly mechanized, input-intensive specialized agriculture is being challenged by those who point to its environmental and socio-economic limitations. 

The framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by all the countries of the planet in 2015, indicates the necessity, in every context, of a long-term transformation to produce positive social, economic and environmental results in multiple areas (poverty, food and nutrition security, health, socio-economic development, biodiversity, water, energy and climate).

Based on initial results from pilot countries, this session will aim to discuss the potential of such an approach to remove the main obstacles to the necessary transformations.
  • Marie-Hélène Schwoob (CIRAD) will review the findings of the initiative over the past few months in pilot countries such as Uruguay, China and the United Kingdom. (24 slides) 
  • Étienne Hainzelin will focus particularly on agricultural transformation pathways in regions such as Africa. He has coordinated the book Cultivating biodiversity to transform agriculture (Springer Edition 2013).
Related:
14 December 2016. Cancun, Mexico. The Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI), GIZ and the France-IUCN Partnership organize a Side-Event at the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity COP13 (4-17 December 2016) on Innovative Financial Mechanisms for long-term biodiversity conservation. 

This side event invites Parties and other stakeholders to share lessons learnt on innovative financial mechanisms and their role in sustainable financing strategies for protected areas at national and site-level. It will showcase practical examples and present highlights of a review of experiences from international cooperation (including French and German). IDDRI & France-IUCN Partnership and GIZ studies on Innovative Financial Mechanisms for long-term biodiversity conservation, including in Africa, will also be presented.

Speakers: 
  • Mr. Yann Laurans, IDDRI: Innovating for biodiversity conservation in African protected areas: funding and incentives. Insights from 3 countries. 
  • Mr. Augustin Berghöfer, UFZ: Enhancing the financial sustainability of biodiversity conservation Conclusions from a review of experience in German development cooperation. 
  • Ms. Katia Karousakis, OECD: Sustainable financing of marine protected areas.
For more information, see below and here.

What are the results of the PROIntensAfrica project?

5 December 2016. Following case studies have been produced over the past months by the PROIntensAfrica:

Pathways to sustainable intensification
  1. Sustainable intensification of mixed farming systems in relation to local values chains (maize, cattle, small ruminants, cotton ...) - BANDAGAO Alimata A (INERA), BLANCHARD Mélanie (CIRAD), BA Alassane (IER), DABIRE Der (CIRDES), FAYAMA Tionyélé (INERA), HAVARD Michel (CIRAD), KOUADIO Kouakou Parfait (UPGC), OUATTARA Baba (INERA), SABA Fatimata (INERA), SODRE Etienne (INERA), YARGA Hahadoubouga (INERA), 57 pages
  2. N2AFRICA: How to intensify legume production - Wytze Marinus, Esther Ronner, Gerrie W. J. van de Ven, Fred Kanampiu, Samuel Adjei-Nsiah and Ken E. Giller, 65 pages
  3. Productivity and intercrop diversity tradeoffs in Central African cocoa farms (Cameroon), 25 pages
  4. Agricultural intensification pathways in Vakinankaratra region - Jacqueline Rakotoarisoa, Jean-François Bélières et Paulo Salgado, 136 pages
  5. Intensification processes in the Old Groundnut Basin (Senegal), 35 pages
  6. Agricultural intensification in the delta of the river Senegal - Jérémy Bourgoin, Frédérique Jankowski, Astou Diao Camara, Djiby Diop, 41 pages
  7. Seed potato production in Eritrea - Fitsumberhan Ghebremeskel, 23 pages
  8. Doubling the income of milk producers puts food on the table of many African families (Senegal) - Jarkko K. Niemi , Miika Tapio , Karen Marshall , Stanly Tebug , Jarmo Juga, 37 pages
  9. Linking farmers to markets – intensification through certified organic production in Uganda  - Rosana Kral Lorenz Probst, 47 pages
  10. Agricultural intensification in Mali and Sudan through improved soil fertility, integrated pest management and mechanization - Jens B. Aune1 , Belachew Asalf , Adama Coulibaly and Stig A. Borgvang, 20 pages
  11. Organic farming in East Africa - Andreas de Neergaard and Myles Oelofse, 18 pages
  12. Nutrition-sensitive value chains: the case of vegetables in Yayu biosphere reserve, Ethiopia - Jochen Dürr Akalu Teshome, 47 pages
  13. Consortium for Improving Agriculture-based Livelihoods in Central Africa (CIALCA) - ?pages
  14. 4L – Learning from Triple L - Gert Nyberg, Ewa Wredle (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences) and Stephen Mureithi (University of Nairobi), 5 pages
  15. Intensification dynamics in the Kenyan dairy value chain - Jan van der Lee , Bockline Omedo Bebe , and Simon Oosting, 52 pages
  16. Sustainable Intensification Pathways for Maize-Legume Cropping Systems. The cases of Mozambique and Tanzania - Nascimento Nhantumbo, Petronella Chaminuka, Ana Catarina Henriques João Palma and Ana MP Melo, 36 pages
  17. Carbon content farming activities used by smallholder farmers of Mt. Kenya region - Adam Csorba - SZIU, 15 pages
See further: Mapping sustainable intensification initiatives 
  • PROIntensAfrica intends to map existing agricultural research projects for sustainable intensification in Africa. 
  • PROIntensAfrica wants to identify the thematic coverage and the respective share of the different pathways of intensification. 
  • The mapping and its analysis will provide data for the identification of the potential of the future IntensAfrica partnership to complement the thematic coverage, strengthen scale consistency and identify new options.
  • This mapping exercise of related ongoing programs and research agendas will ensure that the domains, identified during the PROIntensAfrica project, will be inclusive, complementary and synergistic to existing and on-going (national, bilateral or international) activities.

Monitoring multi-sectoral interventions for diverse diets and nutrition

13 December 2016. EC/DevCo Infopoint Lunchtime Conference

The Global Programme Food and Nutrition Security, Enhanced Resilience – financed by the BMZ´s ONE WORLD – No Hunger Initiative – aims at improving the food and nutrition situation of women and small children.
  • Last year the Programme conducted ten Baseline Studies in ten Countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Ethiopia, India, Kenia, Malawi, Mali, Togo, and Zambia) in order to get an overview of the food and nutrition situation. 
  • The Programme conducted interviews with more than 4,000 women living in rural areas in Africa and Asia. 
  • One objective was to obtain data regarding the prevalence of children receiving a minimum acceptable diet (MAD) and the degree of dietary diversity of women of reproductive age (IDDS/MDD-W) as they are generally more affected by malnutrition than other persons.
Introduction
  • Pedro Campo-Llopis, Head of Section Nutrition in Unit DEVCO C1 Rural Development, Food Security, Nutrition
  • Sabrina Ziesemer, Senior Policy Officer BMZ Division “Food and nutrition security, global food policy”
Presentations
  • Dr. Petra Windisch-Stumpf and Markolf Maczek, ProjectManagers “Food and nutrition security, enhanced resilience”
  • Dr. Martina Kress, Planning Officer Nutrition and Resilience - Section Rural Development, Food and Nutrition Security, GIZ
Video:

International Conference on Agri-Chains and Sustainable Development

12-14 December 2016. Montpellier, France. The International Conference on Agri-Chains and Sustainable Development 2016 brought together up to 200 delegates from 40 countries, including key actors from developing countries and innovators from the field from all world regions, to debate about the role of agricultural value chains in the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The conference aimed at strengthening the science and policy interface for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, considering that agricultural value chains form spaces where local and global challenges to sustainabilityconnect and within which local and global actors experiment and negotiate innovative solutions.

Objectives:
  • Nourishing the dialogue with decision makers for enriching policy and strategy formulation towards sustainable development, using agricultural value chains as effective levers for action;
  • Engaging further scientists and experts into innovative experiences for an inclusive and sustainable economy and in imagining new models of development;
  • Richard Hawkins: Putting value chains
    in the context of innovation
    and development approaches
  • Shedding light on new patterns of public/private partnerships and investments and on multistakeholders’ alliances for sustainable value chains.
Debates focus on 3 themes:
  1. Performance and evaluation of agri-chains with respect to the SDGs;
  2. Public policies and agri-chain governance mechanisms at different scales in support of the SDGs;
  3. Concrete innovations and partnerships for building and transforming agri-chains towards sustainable development.
Speakers:
  • Dr Roberto Ridolfi, Director for Sustainable Growth and Development at DG DEVCO (EU)
  • Alexander Müller, German Council for Sustainable Development
  • Pr. Lawrence Busch, Michigan State University
  • Teresa Ribera, Director of IDDRI
  • Pr. Nora McKeon, Roma 3 University
  • Emmanuelle Cheyns, CIRAD
  • Steven Muchiri, CEO Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF)
  • Anna Swaithes, Director of Sustainable Development SABMiller
  • Pr. Harriet Friedmann, University of Toronto
  • Pr. Gilles Trystram, Director of AgroParisTech
  • Presenting the TAP framework
    for CD for AIS
    by Christian Hoste
  • Jean Pierre Imelé, CEO Biotropical SA
“Public policies and agri-chain governance mechanisms at different scales in support of the SDGs”
  • Nora McKeon, University of Rome, Italy - "Interrogating the narratives: multistakeholder governance, PPPs, and agri-value chains"
  • Emmanuelle Cheyns, CIRAD, France - "Transnational voluntary standards for sustainability: do they deliver on their promises ?" 
  • Clément Chenost, Investment and Technical Director, Moringa Fund, France
  • Ibrahima Coulibaly, Chair CNOP, vicechair, Réseau des organisations Paysannes et des Producteurs Agricoles de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (ROPPA), Mali
  • Kristell Guizouarn, Director of Sustainable Development, Avril, France
  • How major impact for PPP
    Cassava in Nigeria is
    achieved through
    functional changes
    Toon Defoer 2scale
  • Bernard Rey, Deputy Head of food security, rural development, nutrition - EuropeAid, Belgium
“Strengthening the capacities needed to make multi-stakeholder partnerships for innovation in agri-chains work in practice”

Chair: Myra Wopereis-Pura, ICRA, France and Aurélie Toillier, CIRAD, Burkina Faso
Bernard Hubert, Agropolis international, France & Richard Hawkins, ICRA, The Netherlands
  • Organic agriculture & food security in CameroonBayiha Gerard De La Paix, Université de Yaoundé II, Cameroon
  • The case of Myanmar: after 50 years of dictatorship, making the leapfrogging possible in agriculture - Ei Khin Khin, Green Lotus, Myanmar
  • Agriculture innovation partnerships in Angola: successful stories - Paulo Clemente de Oliveira, African Innovation Foundation, Angola
  • Transition in agricultural innovation and development: A Case Study of Bt Cotton System in Burkina FasoEveline Compaore, CNRST, Burkina Faso
  • Exploring capacity to innovate concepts and its assessment in CameroonSophie Allebone-Webb, CIRAD, Montpellier
  • Government versus private sector led innovation partnerships in Ethiopia: challenges and opportunities for capacity development Amanuel Assefa Ezezew, World Bank Grop, Ethiopia
  • Roots to empowermentToon Defoer, ICRA, France
  • Theories and Frameworks that help to shape and support actions - Richard Hawkins, ICRA, The Netherlands 
  • Innovation platforms and value chains: technological innovations and sustainability in the Ivorian plantain value chainsEuphrasie Angbo-Kouakou, CIRAD, France
  • Capacity For Change: The Common Framework on Capacity Development for Agricultural Innovation Systems Christian Hoste, Agreenium, France 
  • Scaling inclusive development: assessing the outreach and leverage of agri-chain partnerships in sub-Saharan AfricaSietze Vellema, WUR, The Netherlands
  • Aurelie Tollier
  • How to support innovation processes in agricultural sector? Diversity and complexity of situations of innovation in Burkina - Aurélie Toillier, CIRAD, Burkina Faso
“Multi-stakeholder partnerships towards food security and sustainable value chains”
  • Institutional Food Procurement Programmes: key aspects for programing and policy design - Florence Tartanac, FAO, Italy
  • Development of the rice value chain in Guinea though support for female rice parboilers and a collective interprofessional trademarkFloriane Thouillot, GRET, France
  • Local products for urban market's supply: Experiments in the region of Seam Reap (Cambodia) - Martine François, GRET, France
  • Explaining new approach
    for AIS in Angola
  • BiomassNet: a stakeholder network for promoting innovation in food and non-food biomass-based value webs in AfricaNikoas Böehlke, University of Bonn, Germany

Stage méthodologique d'appui aux innovations en agriculture familiale

13-15 décembre 2016"Stage méthodologique d'appui aux innovations en agriculture familiale", co-organisé par GxABT/ULg et ADG

Le stage s’appuie sur une approche du développement mettant en premier plan l’appropriation, par les acteur-trice-s des pays du Sud, de leur développement et des stratégies permettant d’atteindre celui-ci. Il vise à développer des compétences individuelles, inscrites dans une dimension institutionnelle (organisations qui emploient ces acteurs du développement). Il renforce le rôle critique de ces acteurtrice-s, afin de leur permettre de relever pleinement et activement les nombreux enjeux auxquels une société, un pays, une région sont confrontés au quotidien. Le stage 2016 s’inspire fortement des 8 éditions précédentes (2008-2015) du stage du même nom.

Lors de la dernière semaine du stage, les , les stagiaires auront le plaisir de présenter et de débattre de leurs projets, fruits de leur travail et de leur réflexion. Cette présentation est publique.

Presentations:
  1. Appui à la production et la diversification de la filière maïs au Bénin
  2. Appui à la production maraichaire et du maïs pour l'amélioration de la sécurité alimentaire et du revenu des ménages dans la commune de Bopa au Bénin
  3. Appui au Développement du maraichage dans le cercle de Koulikoro au Mali
  4. Valorisation de la jacinthe d'eau du lac Nokoué dans la commune de Sô-Ava au Bénin
  5. Consolidation du schéma d'agrégation des agriculteurs familiauxconformement aux règles de l'OHADA. Cas des régions soudano
  6. sahéliennes du Mali
  7. Projet de renforcement des capacités des femmes rurales a générer et a contrôler les revenus de leurs activités dans la région de l'Extrême-Nord Cameroun
  8. Installation des jeunes agriculteurs formés pour améliorer l'économie et la sécurité alimentaire des ménages ruraux au Madagascar
  9. Comment concilier le bien-être des communautés riveraines avec la préservation de la biodiversité des Aires Protégées d'Anosibe An'Ala au Madagascar ?
  10. Amélioration de la productivité laitière des races locales au niveau des exploitations agricoles de la région de Kayes au Mali
  11. Amélioration de la production laitière chez les petits producteurs de la région des Haut-Bassins et sa liaison au marché au Burkina Faso
  12. Réflexion sur un système moderne adaptè à l'exploitation familiale au Sénégal
  13. Contribution à la modernisation de l'agriculture familiale pour plus d'attractivité aux jeunes dans la commune de Mont-Rolland au Sénégal
  14. Programme d'amélioration de la production des fermes familiales agropastorales dans le Territoire de Mwenga au Sud-Kivu à l'Est de la République Démocratique du Congo
  15. Appui technique à la filière agroalimentaire et à la pérennité des activités socio-économiques, environnementales liées aux programmes de développement agricole, cas du bassin versant de les Anglais, Sud, Haïti
Télécharger la description des sujets et le planning des présentations

Monday, December 12, 2016

Mycotoxins as an important food safety issue in Africa

8-9 December 2016. Gent, Belgium. Symposium of the Ghent Africa Platform – GAPSYM10Demonstrating the value of international collaboration on teaching and research. A specific session was dedicated to mycotoxins as an important food safety issue in Africa.

Food Safety takes a prominent role in the Food Security problem. Mycotoxins, toxic fungal secondary metabolites, are one of the main food safety threats currently encountered in Africa. Aflatoxins for instance cause liver cancer, while aflatoxins and fumonisins are related to stunting in African children (IARC, 2015). Co-occurrence of
multiple mycotoxins in one crop as well as effects of climate change make this research field complex. The mycotoxin problem needs to be tackled in a multi-disciplinary way primarily focusing on prevention measures, but also mycotoxin analysis for monitoring and control purposes is definitely needed.

At Ghent University Association, the MYTOX research group (www.mytox.be), organized short training initiatives (VLIR-UOS STI) on mycotoxin analysis
including lectures by MYTOX experts on prevention, reduction and health effects of mycotoxins in the years 2012, 2013 and 2014 for people from developing countries. Further, different research projects funded by FAO/WHO, VLIR-UOS and BOF have taken place or are ongoing in the last years with MYTOX researchers involved.

Presentations:
Prof. Sarah De Saeger, Ghent University, Belgium: “Challenges in mycotoxin analysis in Africa”.
The developing countries suffer from several problems related to mycotoxin analysis. First, analytical tests are expensive, and there is a lack of expertise. Laboratories fail to maintain instruments leaving many of them just unused in the laboratories. Most pronounced is the lack of training in analytical methods as well as in use and trouble-shooting of the analytical equipment. The gap in capacity needs to be addressed.
Dr. Limbikani Matumba, Lilongwe University of Agricultural Natural Resources –NRC Campus,
Malawi. “UGent Redefining the Scope and Focus of Mycotoxin Screening in Food and Feed in Sub-Saharan Africa through Appropriate Training”
To ensure low levels of mycotoxins in the developed world, food is screened for a wide range of mycotoxins. To the contrary, in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the analyses are virtually limited to aflatoxins only. Laboratory of Food Analysis at UGent has been nurturing African researchers through doctorate training where thousands of samples from Africa have been analyzed. Results indicate that the food and feed samples were co-contaminated with an array of mycotoxins inspiring a shift toward broader multi-mycotoxin screening in order to guarantee food safety of food in SSA.
Add caption
Niyibituronsa Marguerite, Rwanda Agriculture Board, Rwanda, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya and Olotu Ifeoluwa, University of Johannesburg, South Africa: 
‘’Our Journey with AWARD and Key Messages on Her Women Empowerment Programs’’. The African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) fellowship is an excellently prepared program that transforms the careers and research of women in the agricultural sector through the knowledge and the skills she provides. One of the programs involves the Advanced Science Training where fellows are attached to well-equipped laboratories under the supervision of renowned scientists to conduct gender responsive and adaptable research such as our research titled; ‘safety assessment of some traditionally fermented foods produced in Africa’ and ‘the effect of fermentation on aflatoxin levels and antioxidant activity of fermented soybean milk’. The AWARD fellowship sets the pace as an example of programs needed to transform the Agricultural sector in Africa.
François Stepman, PAEPARD, Belgium: “Bridging the research and development gap”
The Aflatoxin contamination of food and feed requires a development and research policy which translates research outcomes into practical ways which can bridge the gap between (a) research and the development of safe food and feed, and (b) different actors and (c) often parallel, initiatives.
Dr. Marthe De Boevre, Ghent University, Belgium: ‘Sandwich PhD programs with African partners: challenges of ongoing research in the Laboratory of Food Analysis’
Two PhD students, Cynthia Chilaka (Nigeria) and Melody Hove (Zimbabwe), are in currently performing part of their PhD research in their home country, and will submit a ‘testimonial movie’. 
Dr. De Boevre discussed their challenges and struggles during their research work and highlighted the importance of the ‘sandwich’ system.


Related:
11-14 September 2017
1st MYCOKEY International Conference
Global Mycotoxin Reduction in the Food and Feed Chain
Ghent, Belgium
First Announcement
MYCOKEY aims to deliver in 2019 the first integrated ICT tool to address mycotoxin contamination along the food and feed chain. MycoKey will integrate innovative key actions into an user friendly and cheap application, able to provide real-time information and suggestions for mycotoxin management to several stakeholders. Thanks to the participation of several Chinese partners, it will strengthen the global knowledge on mycotoxins as well as the effective cooperation with China. The conference will be in collaboration with MyToolBox.

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION
Please submit your abstract before 15 March 2017 using the following template, and send the abstract to info@mytox.be

Agroecology in Action

9 -10 December 2016. Brussels. 2 jours étaient sous le signe de l’agroécologie et l’alimentation solidaire en vue d’une agriculture respectueuse de l’homme et de l’environnement et d’une alimentation durable pour toutes et tous.

Agroecology in Action rassemble les nombreuses dynamiques qui construisent et accompagnent l’agroécologie en Belgique et fait le lien avec les dynamiques en Europe.
Extrait du programme:
  • Les réseaux d’innovation multi-acteurs, un levier pour la transition agroécologique
    Face à la complexité de la transition agroécologique à l’échelle de la ferme, certains agriculteurs intègrent un réseau social propice aux partages et à la production de connaissances mutuelles. Ces réseaux impliquent souvent durablement une diversité d’acteurs. Ces nouvelles formes d’organisation s’imposent aujourd’hui comme une stratégie clé dans la transition des systèmes alimentaires, mais ces projet n’en restent pas moins difficiles et fragiles. Nous chercherons les pistes pour éviter et dépasser ces difficultés. (Jaguar, MAP, Boerenforum, réseau Li Mestère, Eigen Zaadteelt, réseau Greenotech)
  • La participation citoyenne dans les politiques alimentaires durables
    Retracer les intentions et évolutions de la participation citoyenne dans les politiques à l’échelle régionale, provinciale ou communale ; constater les avancées, réalisations et difficultés, et ce qui est fait ou pourrait être fait pour les surmonter. (Joëlle Van Bambeke (stratégie Good Food), Tine Heyse ville de Gent (Gent en Garde), Michel Demarteau (Province de Hainaut.), Fabio Jose Da Silva (Brésil)

Emploi en Afrique : et si l’agroalimentaire était une solution ?

8 decembre 2016. FARM a organisé son colloque international le 8 décembre 2016 « Emploi en Afrique : et si l’agroalimentaire était une solution ? »

La forte croissance démographique en l’Afrique va entraîner l’arrivée sur le marché du travail de dizaines de millions de jeunes, y compris dans les zones rurales. Les filières agroalimentaires devront absorber une partie de ces nouveaux actifs. L’émergence des classes moyennes, l’urbanisation et le développement de la grande distribution créent des opportunités d’emplois. Cependant, l’augmentation nécessaire de la productivité du travail en agriculture, pour accroître les revenus agricoles et réduire les inégalités, risque d’en détruire.

L’enjeu est donc double : promouvoir un modèle de développement agricole à la fois productif, durable et inclusif ; d’autre part, exploiter les gisements d’emploi considérables qui existent dans les industries et les services d’amont et d’aval de l’agriculture. Ces évolutions exigent d’énormes investissements, publics comme privés, y compris dans la formation des jeunes. Il y va de la stabilité économique, politique et sociale du continent.

Trois tables rondes et un face-à-face ont permis à des experts, des responsables des filières et des décideurs politiques d’échanger sur ces questions. Les tables rondes étaient consacrées au potentiel de création d’emplois dans les filières agroalimentaires, à la création d’un environnement favorable aux entrepreneurs ruraux et, enfin, aux moyens de rendre l’agriculture plus attirante pour les jeunes. De son côté, le face-à-face a discuté des possibilités de générer, en Afrique, une augmentation nette d’emplois décents dans l’agriculture.

Présentations:

Semaine manioc Afrique centrale

6 - 10 Decembre 2016. Yaounde. Dans la perspective de contribuer à l’amélioration de la sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle en Afrique centrale, le CTA a redéfini les contours de son action autour du développement et de la promotion des filières racines et tubercules et plus particulièrement de la chaîne de valeur du manioc dans la région.

Dans ce contexte, un atelier de présentation et de validation d'études récemment menées, des formations et des sessions B2B a eu lieu dans le cadre de la Semaine manioc Afrique centrale, grâce au partenariat entre le CTA et la Plateforme Sous-régionale des organisations paysannes d'Afrique centrale (PROPAC), le Pôle régional de recherche appliquée au développement des systèmes agricoles d'Afrique centrale (PRASAC), l'Institut international d’agriculture tropicale (IITA), le Fonds des Nations Unies pour l'Alimentation et l'Agriculture (FAO), et le Fonds international de développement agricole (FIDA), entre autres.


L’organisation de ce forum s’inscrit à la fois dans le cadre du démarrage des appuis du CTA à la région Afrique centrale et notamment la validation d’un certain nombre d’études de cadrage et d’analyses des besoins mais répond aussi au souci direct des acteurs de la région de disposer d’un espace de dialogue, de partage et de capitalisation des connaissances ainsi que de renforcement des capacités.

L’objectif principal du forum consistait à:
  • réunir les principaux représentants des différents maillons des filières manioc d’Afrique centrale et 
  • d’élaborer de façon participative un agenda commun pour la région qui puisse répondre à leurs attentes ainsi qu’à celles exprimées par les autres acteurs que sont les chercheurs, les décideurs politiques ainsi que les financiers.
Extracts of the programme
  • Manioc en Afrique centrale : Enjeux et opportunités pour les petits producteurs Dr Ben Bennett, Directeur NRI, Grande-Bretagne • Mme Elisabeth Atangana, Présidente PROPAC, Cameroun • Nestlé • Dr Thomas Ngue Bissa, Coordonnateur National PIDMA (MINADER/Banque mondiale), Cameroun
  • Plateformes multi-acteurs et interprofessions agricoles : Le cas du manioc en Afrique centrale Modération: Vincent Fautrel, CTAGuillaume Fongang Fouepe, Université de Dschang, Cameroun • Représentant de la plateforme régionale manioc, Cameroun • PROPAC • PRASAC
  • Sécurité nutritionnelle : Le cas du manioc au sein d’une alimentation diversifiée Modération: Judith Francis, CTA • Dr Florence Fonteh, Université de Dschang • Dr Marie-Claire Yandju, Université de Kinshasa • IITA/Harvest Plus • Alain EBA, Nestlé • Minsili Hélène Epse Ondobo (Maman Douala) Coopérative ‘SOCOOPMATPA’ • Stany Vwima, Université de Bukavu • Georges Okala, MINSANTE, point focal réseau SUN
  • Transformation semi-industrielle du manioc : Exemple du Business Model DADTCO • Peter Bolt, DADTCO, Pays-Bas
  • Financement de la chaîne de valeur et gestion des risquesLamon Rutten, CTA

Related article:
SicDev 23/12/2016. Promote alliances in cassava R and D to aid food security
Research scientists from academic institutions and policymakers say that collaborations in research and development would promote innovation to address the challenges of nutrition insecurity such as stunting in children. The experts were speaking at a forum on cassava that brought delegates and smallholders farmers in Cameroon to discuss the challenges and opportunities in cassava farming in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon.
"We need accurate and timely data on nutrition to be collected in Central Africa to help address the challenge. The forum has helped raise the profile of cassava as an important nutrition security crop." Judith Francis, CTA
"There is a need to continue educating people on the nutritional values of cassava". Ben Bennet, the director of UK-headquartered Natural Resources Institute

The International Quinoa Conference 2016

6-8 December 2016. Dubai. The International Quinoa Conference 2016:  “Quinoa for Future Food and Nutrition Security in Marginal Environments”.

This conference provided a unique platform for discussions on ecological, economic and social aspects related to introducing quinoa for sustainable agricultural production in marginal environments.
Organizers: the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment of the United Arab Emirates, Zayed University, the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), with the technical contribution of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The conference:
  • Brought together leading scientists, practitioners and decision-makers from the public and private sectors in a mix conducive to innovation and technology transfer
  • Explorec opportunities for collaboration between the public and private sectors
  • Showcasec the latest developments in quinoa research, production and trade around the world
  • Highlightdc quinoa uses and niche market opportunities
  • Connectdc young professionals to experienced professionals
  • The worldwild potential of quinoa - Jacobson S.E. Copenhagen of University, Denmark 
  • Quinoa introduction in West-Africa: experience of Burkina Faso - Dao A., Institute of Environment and Agricultural Research (INERA), Burkina Faso
  • Adaptability of quinoa in Eastern and Southern Africa: Potential implications for food security and climate change adaptation - Mukankusi C., International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Uganda
  • Quinoa performance under the hot- dry weather of Sudan - Maarouf I.M., Former National Consultant of the FAO quinoa project in Sudan, Sudan
  • Performance of quinoa genotypes in different ecological areas of central districts in Malawi -
  • Muhota P.T., Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), Malawi
  • Adaptability of quinoa to adverse climatic and soil conditions - Boukary H., Director of Regional Center of Agronomic Research, Niger
  • Quinoa adaptability, participatory varietal selection and recipe development in Kenya - Wanderi S., Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO), Kenya

Agricultural transformation in Africa: the role of smallholder producers

7 December 2016. The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Agriculture and Food for Development (APPG AgDev) hosted Kanayo Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development. Dr Nwanze spoke on "Agricultural transformation in Africa: the role of smallholder producers".

Kanayo F. Nwanze is President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), which is dedicated to ensuring that governments recognize the concerns of smallholder farmers and other poor rural people. He has been a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on Food Security since 2010. He was previously Director-General of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Africa Rice Center for a decade, where he was instrumental in introducing and promoting New Rice for Africa, or NERICA, a high-yield, drought- and pest-resistant variety developed specifically for the African landscape.

Rory Stewart, Minister of State at DFID, made brief remarks following Dr Nwanze's address.

Related:
2015, 16 pages
A UK Parliamentary Report exploring how to support and scale up smallholder agribusiness development in sub-Saharan Africa, on behalf of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Agriculture and Food for Development.

Background:
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Agriculture and Food for Development (APPG AgDev) facilitates informed debate on food, agriculture and nutrition in the UK Parliament and engages with DFID, other donors and national governments on these issues. Chaired by Jeremy Lefroy MP and Lord Cameron of Dillington the APPG AgDev is a cross-party initiative that brings together parliamentarians concerned with enhancing agriculture, nutrition and food security in developing countries. The APPG AgDev’s vision is for the UK government to champion agriculture as a development priority and be a global leader in supporting smallholder farming in developing countries.

Localising Food Systems: The food-energy-water nexus issues

7 December 2016. Oxford. Localising Food Systems: The food-energy-water nexus issues of re-distributed manufacturing. Re-distributed manufacturing (RdM) is concerned with localised production with indigenous, sustainable resources to support the local economy and communities. It is driven by the desire to improve resource utilisation and broader environmental and social sustainability in response to the globally challenging issues such as insecurity of essential supplies, climate change, and social-economic imbalance and injustice.

This conference offered opportunities to:
  • Showcase research in these areas including the results from our Food, Energy, Water Local Nexus 
  • Examine key research questions for future exploration, with a view to establishing potential research collaborations with industry and academia through structured breakout discussions
  • Foster the extension of the community of researchers, businesses and stakeholders for sustainable local food-energy-water nexuses
Conference Speakers included:
  • Lucy Foster, Defra: Government plans for ‘farm to fork’
  • Valentina Stojceska, Brunel University London: Sustainability in the food supply chain
  • Harris Makatsoris, Cranfield University: Co-creation of food products with consumers in the loop
  • Matt Watson, University of Sheffield, Nexus Network
  • Graeme White, Harrison Catering: Public sector food procurement policies on businesses

Friday, December 9, 2016

The annual Chatham House food conference

5-6 December. London. International agreements, increasing urbanization and climate change are putting pressure on the global food system. The annual Chatham House food conference addressed the specific challenges that need to be overcome to improve sustainability and food security, deliver carbon reductions in the food system, and the role of policy, industry and civil society in achieving these goals.

Discussion topics included:
  1. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the COP21 climate change commitments – In order to satisfy these agreements, how will food production and consumption approaches need to be reassessed by countries, companies and individuals? Key areas for improvement include tackling
  2. food waste, changing consumption and improving the ecological efficiency of food production. 
  3. Demographic shifts and increasing urbanization – These are furthering the need for, and accelerating, changes to farming systems. Methods for adaption to a low carbon, urbanized world and the potential for entrepreneurial approaches and new technologies to generate solutions will be assessed. 
  4. Sustainable development and resilience - To ensure food security and economic development, resilience must be improved. As climate risk grows, how can investment be mobilized to help prevent serious disruption and what risk management mechanisms, including insurance, are available?
Session Two | Innovation in Food Production and Sustainable Intensification
  • What is the need and potential for innovative forms of urban farming to sustainably produce food for growing and concentrated populations? What challenges do these systems face?
  • What improved farming practices are being developed that increase productivity while protecting the environment? 
  • How significant is the impact of soil erosion on agricultural systems and how can it be avoided? 
  • What developments have been made in genetically modified crops? To what extent are they likely to be taken up more widely, and what role might they play in more sustainable food production? 
Chair
Gerda Verburg, Coordinator, Scaling Up Nutrition Movement

Speakers
  • Marc Sadler, Global Lead, Climate Smart Agriculture, The World Bank 
  • David Morgan, Global Head Vegetables Business Unit, Syngenta
  • Professor Tony Ryan, Director, Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures
  • Mark Pettigrew, European Agricultural Sustainability Manager, PepsiCo 
Session Five | Sustainable Development through Agriculture
Ensuring sustainable and profitable agricultural systems in developing economies is critical for growth. Pressures on agricultural systems include increasing urbanization, competition for land use and environmental factors. This session addressed how these challenges might be managed and look at new approaches to overcome them.
  • How can effective partnerships for sustainable food systems along value chains be built and developed by multinational organizations? 
  • How can farmers, especially women, be empowered and their livelihoods made more secure through improved access to resources including land, finance and education?
  • What can be done to make farming more attractive to the next generation? 
  • What role might entrepreneurs have in fostering sustainable and transparent supply chains and developing new approaches to the food system?
Chair
Duncan Cameron, Professor of Plant and Soil Biology, Royal Society University Research Fellow

Panel
  • Keynote speaker: Shenggen Fan, Director-General, International Food Policy Research Institute 
  • Arne Cartridge, Special Adviser, Yara International and Executive Director, Grow Africa (2012-2016)
  • Gerda Verburg, Coordinator, Scaling Up Nutrition Movement 
  • Dominique Kohli, Assistant Director-General, International Affairs, Research and Innovation Directorate, Federal Office for Agriculture, Switzerland
  • Friedrich Wacker, Deputy Director General for International Cooperation and Global Food Policy, Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Germany and Chair, Agricultural Market Information System

Farmers led breeding and distribution of green pepper and red pepper varieties

27/11/2016 to 03/12/2016. Tchamba. Togo. Three researchers from Embrapa hortaliças (Brazil): visited the "Local seeds value chain promotion: farmers led breeding and distribution of green pepper and red pepper varieties” of which they are the technical partner: Carlos Francisco Ragassi, Dr Marçal Henrique Amici Jorge, Dr Claudia Silva da Costa Ribeiro

At the beginning of the second year of the project achieved results are:
  • Workshops were organized in Togo for planning activities, characterization and identification of problems referent to the production system, involving different actors of pepper value chain;
  • 175 farmers were interviewed for assessing information about pepper production in the 5
    regions of Togo and it was identified as major problems the lack of seeds in the local market, the occurrence of diseases and pests of plants and the difficulty of access to the market; 
  • Introduction of germplasm from Brazil: 18 Brazilian cultivars and 17 Togo local varieties were evaluated (agromorphological characterization) by local farmers in three village of central region (Nimah, Alibi 1, Bago and Kaboli) and at the station of ESA in Lomé;
  • Mass selection: Capsicum spp. varieties from Togo e Brazil were tested at the station of ESA in Lomé. Seeds were collected of each local variety tested.
    The seeds obtained from the first cycle of mass selection will help to perform the second cycle (mass selection 2) in year 2;
  • Five local varieties (Alibi1, Bago, Sokode (PV), Anie2, Lome) and five cultivars from Brazil (Jalapeno M, Jalapeno+, BRS Mari, BRS Moema, Maximus) were selected.
During the stay, the Brasilian and Togolese teams visited pepper trials farms. The group participated in the pepper farmers leaders training and discussions:
  • the project activities implementation and provisional results - AGOSSOU Affo Binde
  • Pepper breeding - Dr. Claudia Ribeiro
  • Production of seeds and seedlings - Dr. Marçal Amici
  • Cultivation of peppers and chili - Carlos Ragassi

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Horizon 2020 seminar and EU-Nigeria Business Forum in Lagos

9 November 2016. Lagos Around 50, mostly Directors for Research and Deans of the major Universities and Directors of the major Research Institutions of Nigeria attended the information session on Horizon 2020 in Lagos followed by a second day of hands-on training about proposal writing, financial management and reporting in Horizon 2020.

The seminar was organised with the support of the FP7 funded policy-support project CAAST-NET Plus.

11 November 2016. At the EU-Nigeria Business Forum Cristina Russo gave a keynote speech on Horizon 2020 in the session on ‘integrating Nigerian SMEs in the global market’. The other keynote speech was given by the Nigerian Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment. The panel was composed of the Nigerian Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN), Enterprise Europe Network, the European Investment Bank and Syntesa who referred in the presentation to their involvement in FP7 funded projects on mycotoxin reduction in the food and feed chain as an important contribution to trade enhancement of Nigerian agriculture products to the European market. Director Sandra Gallina from DG Trade also participated in the Forum.

Side-visits took place to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in Ibadan involved in several FP7 and Horizon 2020 funded projects mostly in the area of mycotoxin management and bio fortification and a discussion took place about their involvement in the EU-Africa Research and Innovation Partnership on food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture.

On the last day, a visit was paid to Nobex company involved in the FP7 funded project Gratitude, that aimed at reducing the post-harvest losses of crops such as cassava and yam that are extremely high. 
  • Waste, such as cassava peal or cashew shell and palm kernel is dried through a drying technology (flash dryer) of which the prototype was developed in the Gratitude project. 
  • The waste is turned into flower (cassava, yam), mushroom and animal feed
  • The company now commercialises the technology on the Nigerian market and started exporting it to other countries in Africa (eg. Ghana, Uganda, Benin, Malawi). 
  • The company created 20 additional jobs and underlined the important contribution of FP7 funding to its success and the opportunities offered for knowledge exchange in this case with organisations in Vietnam and Portugal.

International Symposium on Sustainable Food Systems for Healthy Diets and Improved Nutrition

1-2 December 2016.  International Symposium on Sustainable Food Systems for Healthy Diets and Improved Nutrition.

The Symposium concentrated on three sub-themes that together provide a comprehensive picture of food systems and their actionable entry points for promoting healthy diets:
  1. Supply side policies and measures for increasing access to healthy diets: to exchange views and country examples on improving nutrition by sustainable agriculture diversification, reducing food waste and improving post-harvest management, food processing for improved nutrition value, product reformulation, bio fortification, food safety and ways to facilitate market access were discussed. A particular attention was given to forests to identify the challenges and opportunities for exploring this important and nutritious food resource. 
  2. Demand side policies and measures for increasing access and empowering consumers to choose healthy diets: successful examples of nutrition-sensitive social protection, nutrition education and awareness raising, regulations on food labelling and advertisement, and strategies to empower women as key-food system drivers were showcased.
  3. Measures to strengthen accountability, resilience, and equity within the food system: to discuss and showcase concrete examples of linking data to policy and programme design, monitoring and evaluation, to exchange views on ways to shape comprehensive multi-sector and multi-stakeholders policies effectively. This sub-theme showcased country examples of maintaining functioning food systems in crisis, including areas affected by climate change
Extracts of the programme See the full programme (16 pages)
  • Underutilized nutritious food resources: the case of forest foods in Cameroon, by Cécile Ndjebet, President of the African Women’s Network for Community Management of Forests, the Republic of Cameroon
  • Biodiverse agroecological systems for traditional nutritious foods in Mali, by Alimata Traoré, President of Convergence des Femmes Rurales pour la Souveraineté Alimentaire (COFERSA), the Republic of Mali. Biofortification for nutritious crops production in Uganda, by Bho Mudyahoto, Senior Monitoring, Learning and Evaluation Specialist, Harvest Plus/IFPRI. 
  • Tracking affordability/price of diverse, nutritious foods in Ghana, by John Nortey, Statistics Research and Information Directorate, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the Republic of Ghana.
  • Effective platforms and coalitions for healthy diets: what concrete results? by Sarah Lilian Mshiu, Senior Economist/Nutrition Focal Person, Office of the Prime Minister, the United Republic of Tanzania.
  • Food fortification policies and programs for improved nutrition in Senegal, by Abdoulaye Ka, National Coordinator of Senegal’s cellule for fighting malnutrition, Office of the Prime Minister, the Republic of Senegal.
  • Integrating nutrition education in agriculture extension services in Kenya by Teresa Tumwet, Head of Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture – Home Economics Department, the Republic of Kenya
  • Food system resilience in economic/food price crisis in Uganda, by Stephen Biribonwa, Senior Agriculture Officer, Nutrition and Home Economics, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, the Republic of Uganda.
  • Food Security and Nutrition and the global control and eradication of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), by Bouna Diop, Animal Health Division, FAO
  • Engaging effectively with the private sector actors in the food systems for healthy diets: the marketplace for nutritious foods in Mozambique, by Katia Santos Dias, Director of Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Mozambique, the Republic of Mozambique
  • Cash transfers for improved food security and diet diversity: the lessons from Lesotho, by Ntitia Tuoane, Director of Field Services a.i., Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Kingdom of Lesotho
  • Public procurement from family farmers for improved food basket in Malawi, by Albert Saka, Senior Officer, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the Republic of Malawi
  • Empowering women as key drivers of food system change Overview by Lindiwe Sibanda, Chief Executive Officer, Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN), the Republic of South Africa
  • Engaging women and men as agents of change in agriculture and nutrition in sub-Saharan Africa, by Christiane Monsieur, Dimitra Project Coordinator, FAO
Video coverage:
First session of Sub-theme 1: Supply Side Policies and Measures for Diversifying Food Production and for Increasing Availability and Affodability of Nutritious Foods for Healthy Diets.

Interview with Anna Lartey, Director FAO of Nutrition and Food Systems Division
Published on 28 Nov 2016
Hidden hunger indicates a diet poor in essential macronutrients, capablel of damaging people’s health and productivity. Anna Lartey underlines the need for action to be taken at national level to improve nutrition and ensure access to healthy diets for all.

Building the capacities of early-career climate researchers.

21-23 November 2016. Accra, Ghana. CAAST-Net Plus held a second pilot workshop aimed at building the capacities of early-career climate researchers.

The format, first piloted in Kigali in June, consisted of two morning sessions with technical presentations focused on the theme of sustainable agricultural intensification and on funding options for research on this theme. Afternoons were reserved for group sessions, in which participants interacted with presenters, seeking advice on how to refine the research project proposals.

Workshop participants travelled from Benin, Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. All participants are early-career African researchers with a professional interest in the issue of sustainable agriculture intensification. Out of 40 proposals submitted by prospective participants, invitations were extended to 14 researchers. The workshop ended with a field trip to Humberg Farms in Anum in the Eastern Region of Ghana, where the concepts discussed were revisited in practice.
"This [workshop represents] an embryo of a platform we want to institutionalise as part of our legacy. The aim is to bridge the gross asymmetry between Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa. We have brought together experts on research funding and climate change research, with a particular focus on sustainable agriculture intensification, from academia, the public and private sectors, to provide you with guidance and feedback." Arne Tostensen, Research Council of Norway
Presentations

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

New Business Models for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization in sub-Saharan Africa

30th November – 3rd December 2016. Nairobi, Kenya. The main purpose of this workshop was to provide a platform to discuss sustainable mechanization development strategy options and, specifically the role of public-private and private-private partnerships.

The 105 participants at this workshop were delegates drawn from SSA countries, including policy-makers, academics, private sector, financial institutions, Farmer Organizations, and national development organizations (international and regional), and NGOs. Experts from outside the region, especially private companies.

The participants exchanged knowledge, perspectives, experiences and lessons learnt in the past while identifying leveraging and entry points for sustainable development of agricultural mechanization in SSA during 8 Sessions, and attended over 25 keynote and technical presentations.

Objectives:
  1. Provide a platform for public and private sector actors to meet and exchange knowledge, and articulate commitments to improve agriculture mechanization is sub-Saharan Africa for:
    a. Ascertaining the main needs and constraints for the dissemination and adoption of sustainable mechanization in sub-Saharan Africa
    b. Defining potentials
    c. Identifying key factors for developing sustainable agricultural mechanization
    d. The delineation of holistic sustainable mechanization policy guidelines;
  2. Devise new collaborative models for Private-Public and Private-Private Partnerships in order to
    prepare the ground for potential investments and articulating opportunities, across a range of specific points of the agriculture value chains, that can create jobs and improve livelihoods with support from the World Bank, FAO, AGRA and the industry and as part of this define:
    a. Possible pilot/priority countries (5 – 7)
    b. Funding (immediate funding needs, finance/co-finance options)
    c. Governance issues
  3. Explore and consider the development of a global sustainable mechanization knowledge exchange platform (ICT level) to enable the continuation of consultations;
  4. Explore the possibility to establish a Regional Center for sustainable agricultural mechanization in Africa similar to existing centers in Asia (BISA1, UN/CSAM2) which will help in the research, training and capacity building on technologies and practices related to mechanization along the agrifood value chain specifically for the region in line with the priorities of the existing and future policies.
Presentations:
Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization -Josef Kienzle, FAO (25 slides)
"Private sector development increases the manufacturing and service provision base for agricultural mechanization and provides opportunities for more South-South Cooperation among manufacturers, dealers and institutions"
New Models for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization in Sub Saharan Africa -Chakib Jenane Senior Agribusiness Specialist, World Bank (20 slides)
Survey results about the importance and potential of the agricultural machinery market in Africa: New PPP business models: Agricultural guarantee funds, Mechanization Demo farms, Mechanization Centers of Excellence 
Up-Scaling Sustainable Mechanization in India -Harminder Sidhu BISA (24 slides)
The Spread of Smaller Scale Machinery in South Asia: Observations -Scott Justice and Enamul Haque CIMMYT (18 slides)
An Overview of Agricultural Mechanization in Sub Saharan Africa -Geoffrey Mrema SOKOINE UNIVERSITY (20 slides)
"There is a need to learn from our past experience both successful and failed projects – too much repetition of past mistakes and to learn from others especially where mechanization has occurred in recent past and from other countries in SSA"
Technology, Infrastructure and Mechanization for Africa’s Agricultural Transformation -Jonas Chianu AFDB (31 slides)
"Urbanization is driving increased demand for food products that are not currently being supplied by African producers. Many Post-harvest losses (PHL) solutions exist and can be locally manufactured, but are not yet reaching farmers at scale. 

Mahaseel Agricultural Investment Fund and Anterra Capital are venture and private equity funds providing growth capital to storage and processing companies in Africa.

The CGIAR Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) Clearinghouse led by IITA will raise farmer productivity and incomes by creating a repository of proven agricultural transformation technologies that are tailored for the African context and can be scaled beyond pilots through CGIAR and partner delivery mechanisms. This includes: Processing of Cassava: Mechanical Peeling and Mechanical Drying (Using Pneumatic Dryers), Improved Storage of Cowpea Using PICs bags (Cowpea)"



Sustainable mechanization development strategy options and, the role of publicprivate and private-private partnerships. -Jean Moreira AFRICA RICE (28 slides)
"Where manual threshing yields one tonne of paddy per day, the ASI—taking its name from ADRAO (French acronym of AfricaRice)-SAED-ISRA—produces 6 tonnes of paddy. With a grain-straw separation rate of 99%, no additional labor is required for sifting and winnowing.270 ASI threshers built in 2 years for a turn over of $ 1,350 000. 

Farmers (who do not have own thresher) can save time, reduce labor demand, reduce grain loss, and enhance double cropping. ASI owners can expect an internal rate of return of 65% and a high cost/benefit ratio (1.73) over the economic life of ASI. Local blacksmiths’ income can be increased. Employment for providing service for threshing can be increased. Indirectly, Governments can get taxes on the importation of the engine, belts and bearing. Banks may be encouraged to provide with loans to farmers and owner of ASI"


PROMOTING AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION THROUGH COOPERATIVES -Koffivi Nouwogou UNCUMA  (17 slides)
"Cooperatives are a promising path to the development of the strategy of Mechanization in Africa" The international partners of the Union nationale des coopératives de mécanisation agricoles du Bénin (UNCUMA) are  - USADF - Swiss Cooperation - Association CUMA Benin (France). 

Mechanization from an Industrial Development Perspective -Rajab UNIDO
Agricultural Mechanization in Kenya -Jasper Nkanya MOA KENYA (17 slides)
Sustainable mechanization: public private partnerships -Ignatius ANSEMAT and AGRIEVOLUTION (10 slides)
Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization: Partnership Models / Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) -Hans Z Group (9 slides)
GERMAN MACHINERY RING MODELS: EXPERIENCES AND LESSONS LEARNT -Andreas MACHINERY RING (22 slides)
PRIVATE SECTOR DRIVEN AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION PROGRAMME (PSDAMF) AND GES APPLICATION STRATEGY OF NIGERIA -Innocent Originye MOA NIGERIA (28 slides)
Facilitating small scale farmer’s access to Conservation Agriculture mechanization services. Lessons learnt from EU Funded Conservation Agriculture Scaling Up (CASU) Project in Zambia -Mtendere FAO ZAMBIA (7 slides)
Food security in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Fresh Look on Agricultural Mechanisation -Muller DIE (22 slides)
"Only demand-driven and profitable mechanization has sustainable positive effects. This requires viable business models and risk management." 
Sarwat Hussain 
"Four experts were commissioned to undertake, through a consultative process, a rapid appraisal of the Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (SAM) situation in the four sub –regions. This will be the first document which is considering agricultural mechanization at pan-Africa level developed by African experts and subjected to an African wide review process. A Stakeholders workshop is planned in March 2017 to discuss the recommendations in the document."

Agricultural Mechanization Policy Issues -Mataba University of Botswana (8 slides)
Consultative Meeting on Mechanization: Vignettes and Reflections -Sarwat Hussein WORLDBANK (19 slides)
Charting the way foward (4 slides) 

Video interview
Josef Kienzle (FAO) speaks about mechanization: What is it, how can it improve small farmers’ livelihoods and how does it bring perspectives to the youth in rural areas?



Related:
21 January 2016. Istanbul. Fifth World Summit on Agriculture Machinery