EU-Africa Food Systems workshop

23-24 January 2017. Brussels. European Commission, DG Research and Innovation. A workshop was held on on EU-Africa R&I Partnership on Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture.

On 23 of January DG AGRI hosted the meeting which was on pillar I aspects.  Around 25 experts from Africa and Europe discussed issues of sustainable intensification and on diversifying farmer’s revenues: converting agricultural waste into products, materials and energy. Presentation from this workshop are available under this link.  aAsummary of discussion will be posted later.

Opening session

• Setting the scene: EU-AU R&I cooperation - Nienke Buisman, DG RTD
• Presentation of the EU-Africa Research & Innovation Partnership on Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA) partnership - Agnieszka Romanowicz, DG AGRI
• ProIntensAfrica H2020 project presentation of results - Philippe Petithuguenin (CIRAD)
• Soil – Africa’s hidden treasure - Arwyn Jones, EC DG JRC

Sustainable intensification I - Crops and livestock - agricultural practice for improving farm output and farmers living conditions

• New crops in harsh environments? - Vincent Vadez
• Organic farming & old varieties in Europe - Monika Żurek

Parallel sessions
Group I: Sustainable intensification II: soil and land management for improving agricultural diversity and preserving biodiversity

• Challenges of Soil Sciences - Erika Michéli
• Management practices to optimise soil water content in Southern Africa - Cornie van Huyssteen
• Sustainable land management and challenges of island regions - Case Study: Cabo Verde ISLANDS - Isaurinda Baptista
• Bringing Systems Science into Assessments of Sustainable Agricultural Intensification - Fergus Sinclair
• Sustainable intensification through improved water management - Helen Macpherson
• ENSET – An orphan crop of the Ethiopian Highlands - Karen Vancampenhout

Group II: Diversifying farmer’s revenues: converting agricultural waste into products, materials and energy. Identifying and adapting simple and robust technologies for use in African rural communities without substantially changing agricultural systems and practices.

• Diversifying farmer’s revenue through biorefinery concepts - José Ruiz Espí
• Biorefinery Approach in the EU and beyond - René van Ree
• Integrating Agriculture and Energy Needs - Finding Sustainable Bioenergy Options - Irini Maltsoglou
• Potential of African Agricultural Residues for Biorefinery: Key Findings of Biowaste4SP Project - Richard Bayitse
• Developing the New Bioeconomy for Africa For increased resource efficiency (more food and feed), healthier diets, and improved rural and urban livelihood - Lene Lange

On the 24 of January DG RTD had a meeting on pillar II of the Roadmap for Food and Nutrition security and Sustainable Agriculture.

The second day the topics were:

1. Agricultural systems and nutrition, what are research and innovation needs for farming systems to deliver better on nutrition?
2. Innovations in African speciality food with high nutritional value to supply local urban markets and global markets.
3. Research and Innovation for plant based protein food?
4. How to reduce food waste along the post-harvest – consumer chain in Africa? Scope for technological and social innovation? Is there a role for bio-based packaging?
5. Food Safety – Mycotoxins, including aflatoxin – challenges for research and innovation.

The presentations on 'Food Systems Approach' – in Africa focused on research and innovation questions and priorities which were identified before the workshop, starting with an insight into the different viewpoints of scientific disciplines and stakeholders to food systems:

• Agricultural systems and nutrition, what are research and innovation needs for farming systems to deliver better on nutrition? 
• Hidden Hunger – Malnutrition and the first 1000 days of life – food based research and innovation needs 
• A Food System Approach for Africa – research and innovation needs

Pillar 2 of the Roadmap – Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition, focused on:

• Research and Innovation needs for improved food value chains for local urban markets and global markets 
• Research and Innovation for plant based proteins? 
• How to reduce food waste along the post-harvest – consumer chain in Africa? Scope for technological and social innovation? Is there a role for bio-based packaging? - 
• Food Safety – Mycotoxins, including aflatoxin – challenges for research and innovation - Approaches to Innovation

Extract of the programme:

Resources:

• Roadmap for Food and Nutrition security and Sustainable Agriculture
• EU-Africa High Level Policy Dialogue on Science, Technology and Innovation 2016 – Conclusions

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