Platform for African – European Partnership in Agricultural Research for Development

Wednesday, June 30, 2021

WEBINAR: How can digitization impact food fortification?

30 June 2021
. 2pm – 3:30PM CET. Scaling up innovation for a fortified future – part I - fortification quality digitization by GAIN

Fortified foods that meet government-issued standards can have a significant impact on improving nutritional intakes and overall health of a population. Unfortunately, many fortification programs fall short of this intended impact. Understanding and addressing challenges along the fortification supply chain is critical to ensuring the quality and safety of fortified products. This requires generating data that enables full traceability of fortification quality.

However, few countries are collecting and analysing data on fortification quality, and those that do may be lacking the critical step of transforming data into actionable information. Can digitization help improve QA/QC data systems, drive efficiencies, and increase the transparency and traceability of fortification quality? Can digitization address constraints faced by governments and strengthen government oversight while reducing their data collection burden? Can digitization be a win-win for the government and for industry?

This webinar:
  • Provided a high-level overview of quality/compliance challenges in fortification and explore how digitization can be part of the solution.
  • Presented examples and lessons learned from successful digitization efforts in sectors outside of nutrition.
  • Showcased collaborations with new/unconventional partners that can help government and industry to leverage digital data to accelerate progress.
  • Featured perspectives from millers on how data can improve their bottom line and help them stay compliant with fortification mandates and standards.
  • Discussed how IT/systems stakeholders, industry, government, and NGOs can come together to improve fortification quality and industry compliance.
Speakers:
  • moderator Andreas Bluethner, Director of Nutrition BMGF
  • Dipika Matthias, Deputy Director, Nutrition, BMGF, USA
  • Bernard Kowatsch, Head of WFP Innovation Accelerator, Italy
  • Ashish Pande, Managing Director & Senior Vice President, Crown & Dangote Mills, Olam, Nigeria
  • Anna Zhenchuk, Managing Director, BioAnalyt, Germany
  • Zameer Haider, National Program Manager for Oil Fortification, Nutrition International, Pakistan
  • Janice Zdankus, Vice President of Innovation for Social Impact, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, USA
  • Harun Rashid, Chairman, Shakti Edible Oil, Bangladesh
  • Imtiaz Masud, Head of QA & EMS, Bangladesh Edible Oil, Bangladesh

WEBINAR: High-level Conference on Sustainable Cocoa in Ghana

30 June 2021. High-level Conference on Sustainable Cocoa in Ghana. (Passcode: 349159)

The objective of the high-level conference was to take stock of the dialogue in Ghana on each of the topics covered during the roundtable discussions, and to draw conclusions on the way forward (i) to foster progress in the elimination of child labour, (ii) to enhance the protection and restoration of the forests, (iii) to improve the coordination of initiatives supporting the sector and (iv) to ensure a living income for the cocoa farmers.
  • Moderator Viwanou Gnassounou, former Assistant Secretary-General OACPS
  • Welcoming remarks - H.E Diana Acconcia, European Ambassador to Ghana
  • Statement by Mrs. Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International Partnerships
  • Statement by Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor Hon. Minister of Lands and Natural Resources (Ghana)
National dialogue conclusions: Viwanou Gnassounou, former Assistant Secretary-General OACPS

Panel discussion:
  • Hon. Joseph Baahen Aidoo, Chief Executive officer, COCOBOD
  • HE Ron Strikker, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Ghana
  • Mr. Alex Arnaud Assanwo, Executive Secretary Cote d'Ivoire-Ghana Cocoa Initiative
  • Mr. Chris Vincent, Acting President, World Cocoa Fooundation (WCF)
  • Mrs. Sandra Kwabea Sarkwah, Chairperson, Ghana Civil Society Cocoa Platform
  • Mrs. Leticia Yankey, Founder Cocoa Mmaa
  • Mr. Michel Arrion, Executive Director, International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO)
Shared resources:


WEBINAR: Agri-investment in Asia and beyond

30 June 2021Agri-investment in Asia and beyond. by Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness (CASA)

  • Grahame Dixie served as the World Bank’s lead agribusiness advisor where he was involved in the design and review of the World Bank’s portfolio of projects linking smaller scale farmers to markets and agribusinesses. 
  • More recently, Grahame has served as an advisor to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and IFAD.
  • He was a panellist in CASA Webinar 5: Making Inclusivity Work: A role for legal empowerment.

To access the live stream on YouTube, follow this link  and click on the Stream button on the left hand side.

  • What is the case for investment in agriculture in developing markets – and is there a difference between international and local investors in this respect?
  • Why should investors care about smallholder farmers when business models that rely on them are less effective, more complex and ultimately less profitable?
  • What would you say to private sector investors who are keen to learn aspects of good investment in agriculture?
  • What are the rookie mistakes being made by new investors in smallholder-led agriculture?

The 31 March 2021 webinar discussed recommendations for capital providers to achieve sustainable investments in commercial agriculture that promote inclusivity of smallholder farmers in value chains in developing countries.

The session featured reports from the Empowering Producers in Commercial Agriculture programme on working with farmer groups, including:
  • Contracts in commercial agriculture: enhancing rural producer agency;
  • Socio-legal empowerment and agency of small-scale farmers in informal markets; and
  • Rural Producer Agency and Agricultural Value Chains: What Role for Socio-Legal Empowerment?

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Upcoming webinars July and beyond

1 July 2021. 10:00-11:00 AM ET Innovative Financing Through Food Systems to Improve DietsOne attempt to encourage engagement from the private sector is the Nutritious Food Financing Facility (N3F). The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) initiated N3F to catalyze private sector innovation in nutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa.

1 July 2021. 13:00 to 16:00 CEST. AGRIS Virtual Annual Conference by FAO

1 July 2021, 3-6pm CEST: Closing Data Gaps and Promoting Evidence-Informed Decision-Making for Food Security and Nutrition. by CFS/FAO

1 July 2021, 3-4:30pm CEST: Digital Agriculture Profiles: Analytical Tool to Define Policies and Investments in Data and Digital Agriculture at Country Level By World Bank/CIAT-Bioversity

1 July 2021. 13:00 (GMT +2) Sustainable & Innovative Practices for Small-Scale Fisheries and Aquaculture Production by FAO/RNE-Innovation-Forum


2 July 2021.  9 to 11 am CEST. The role of agro-ecology in achieving the Green Deal’s transformational objectives
  • Webinar on why an agro-ecological transformation of agri-food systems makes sense and how agro-ecology contributes significantly to mitigating and adapting to climate change, stemming biodiversity loss, as well halting and reversing land and water degradation.  
  • To register (for non EC staff) :  (a) First register to INTPA academy (click in the corner right up); (b) thereafter register to the webinar 
2 July 2021. 12:30 - 14:00 CEST. The Effects of Agroecology. Why are Metrics Needed? 
3 July, 2021. Independent Dialogue UNFSS/Sudan. Develop a resilient, equitable and sustainable Food System to achieve SDGs by 2030



5-7 July 2021 - Side-Events to the Science Days for the UN Food Systems Summit 2021
  1. 05/07. 9:00 – 10:30 CEST. Science and Sustainable Food Systems in Southeast Asia – Challenges and Ways Forward
  2. 05/07. 12:30 – 10:30 CEST. Science, Technology and Innovation For Food Systems Transformation. The role of nuclear and related technologies by FAO, IAEA
  3. 05/07. 13:00 – 14:30 CEST. Transformative Sustainable Agri-food systems for sustainable diets with traditional plants
  4. 05/07. 13:00 – 15:00 CEST. Global Food Systems Governance – The Role of Food Science and Technology by IFPRI/UNIDO
  5. 05/07. 14:00 – 15:30 CEST. The importance of plant genetic resources in the context of Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems: the role of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
  6. 14:00 – 15:30 CEST Capacity development for agriculture innovation systems: lessons learned and future action of the Tropical Agriculture Platform partnershipConvened by TAP Secretariat, FAO; AFAAS, APAARI; CoSAI
  7. 05/07. 15:00 – 16:30 CEST. Transforming Food Systems in Emerging Economies
  8. 05/07. 15:00 – 16:30 CEST. Learnings from country-level pathways to the global food policy debate by UNECA
  9. 05/07. 16:00 – 17:00 CEST. Accelerating Innovation for Food Systems Transformation with National and Regional Impact Convened by World Economic Forum
  10. 05/07. 16:00 – 18:30 CET Malabo Montpellier Forum – Connecting the dots: Policy innovations for food systems transformation in Africa - Convened by AKADEMIYA2063 – The Malabo Montpellier Panel, African Union Commission, Imperial College London, Center for Development Research at the University of Bonn
  11. 6 /7. 10:00 – 11:30 CEST. Protein for All: The Importance of Protein Quality in Equitable, Sustainable Food Systems Convened by Global Dairy Platform (GDP)
  12. 6 /7. 10:30 – 12:00 CEST Nourishing people and planet with aquatic foods Convened by FAO
  13. 11:00 CEST. Sustainable Financing of Research and Innovation to Improve the Performance of Africa’s Food System by FARA
  14. 6 /7. 12:00 – 13:30 CEST A New Paradigm for Research and Innovation: A practical application with Forgotten Foods. by GFAR
  15. 6 /7. 13:00 – 14:00 CEST. Transforming Food Systems from the Ground Up: The Potential of Groundwater in Achieving Food Security and Prosperity in Africa by African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), IFPRI, AFDB, IWMI, World Bank
  16. 6 /7. 13:00 – 14:30 CEST. Gender Equality, Women’s Empowerment, and Food Systems by IFPRI
  17. 6 /7. 13:30 – 15:00 CEST. Achieving healthy diets for all: What are the evidence gaps constraining progress? by GAIN; International Union of Nutritional Sciences
  18. 6 /7. 14:00 – 15:30 CEST. Transforming Food Systems through Agroecology: Learning from Evidence by Bioversity International-CIAT Alliance, FAO, CGIAR
  19. 6 /7. 14:00 – 15:45 CEST. Strengthening international research cooperation on food systems by INRAE.
  20. 6/7. 15:00 – 16:30 CEST. A Perennial Revolution of Agriculture – is it desirable, possible, imminent?
  21. 6/7. 15:00 – 16:30 CEST. Risks to agricultural production from air pollution by WMO
  22. 6/7. 15:00 – 17:00 CEST. The role of Agricultural Research and Innovation on food systems transformation by Agrinatura, FARA, COLEACP, DeSIRA
  23. 6/7. 15:30 – 17:00 CEST. COVID-19, food systems, and One Health in an urbanizing world: Research responses at a national level Convened by CGIAR; RUAF; World Bank
  24. 6/7. 15:30 – 17:00 CEST. Indigenous Peoples’ contributions to food system’s thinking and sustainability by CGIAR, IRD, UNESCO
  25. 6/7. 16:00 – 17:30 CET. Bridging scientific and indigenous peoples’ knowledge for sustainable and inclusive food systems
  26. 6/7. 16:00 – 17:30 CET. Priorities for inclusive urban food systems transformations in the global South by Cirad and Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS); Michigan State University, HIVOS/RUAF
  27. 6/7. 16:00 – 17:30 CEST. Science and Technology and Food Security: A Step Towards Greener Revolution by Global Climate Smart Agriculture Youth Network (GCSAYN)
  28. 6/7. 16:00 – 17:30 CEST. Bridging the Digital Divide Convened by The Hunger Project
  29. 6/7. 16:00 – 17:30 CEST. Bioeconomy for a biodiversity-and-science-based sustainable development of food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean
  30. 6/7. 16:00 – 18:00 CEST. Engaging Stakeholders for Adaptation and Food Security: Contributions by the AgMIP A-Teams by IPAR, ICRISAT; Columbia University
  31. 6/7. 17:00 – 18:30 CEST. Climate Resilient Development Pathways for Food Systems’ Transformation by WFP, FAO, ILRI, CCAFS; IPCC, GIZ, CCARDESA
  32. 7/7. 9:00 – 11:00 CEST. When science meets policy to boost food systems transformation by FAO/Brussels; AFA; European Commission
  33. 7/7. 10:00 – 12:30 CEST. Microbiome Supporting Regenerative Agriculture. by National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA); Forschungszentrum Jülich
  34. 7/7. 10:00 – 12:30 CEST. Regional perspectives on the role of science, technology, and innovation for transforming food systems by InterAcademy Partnership (IAP); The European Academies’ Science Advisory Council (EASAC); The Network of African Science Academies (NASAC); The Inter-American Network of Academies of Sciences (IANAS); The Association of Academies and Societies of Sciences in Asia (AASSA)
  35. 7/7. 10:00 – 11:30 CEST SOLAW21: Sustainable, Scalable and Dynamic Solutions in Land and Water Management towards Food System Transformation by FAO, ACIAR
  36. 7/7. 11:00 – 12:30 CEST. Is Organic Agriculture a viable option for the Global South? by RIOA; KALRO; icipe/Kenya; Biovision Africa Trust, Kenya
  37. 7/7. 13:00 – 14:30 CEST Climate Change & Food Systems’ Transformation: Focus on Small Island States and Indigenous Peoples by WFP, FAO, Cornell University; Joint Research Centre, European Commission (JRC), IPCC, WB, WHO
  38. 7/7. 13:00 – 15:30 CEST. Promise of the Commons for Sustainable and Equitable Food Systems by IFPRI
  39. 7/7. 13:30 – 15:00 CEST. A New Paradigm for Plant Nutrition. by International Fertilizer Association; International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
  40. 7/7. 14:00 – 15:30 CEST. Food prices and the economics of food system transformation: Making markets work for inclusive growth, sustainability, and health. by International Association of Agricultural Economists (IAAE); African Agricultural Economics Association (AAAE); Tufts University
  41. 7/7. 14:00 – 15:30 CEST. Decision-making for Sustainable Livestock: Capitalizing on Models, Data and Communications by World Farmers’ Organization and Scientific Council; International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI); Alliance Bioversity; CIAT
  42. 7/7. 15:30 – 17:00 CEST. Reforming Agricultural Policies to Support Food Systems Transformation by IFPRI
  43. 7/7. 16:00 – 17:30 CEST Local food, Sustainable City? Is Vertical and Controlled Environment Agriculture Relevant Contributions to Resilient and Sustainable Future Food Systems? Convened by Plantagon International Association Sweden;
  44. 7/7. 16:00 – 17:30 CEST. Scaling Up Innovations and Partnerships to Modernize African Food Systems by TAAT; AATF; Alliance Bioversity-CIAT (ABC); AfricaRice; CIP; FARA; ICRISAT; IFDC; ILRI; IWMI; WorldFish Centre; IITA; ICARDA
  45. 7/7. 16:00 – 17:30 CET. The Critical Role of Research and Development in Achieving Resilient and Sustainable Food Systems. by the US Agency for International Development; Regional Network of Agricultural Policy Research Institutes (ReNAPRI); African Development Bank (AfDB); Alliance for African Partnership; World Bank
  46. 7/7. 16:00 – 17:30 CEST. Monitoring and Evaluation for Food Systems Transformation by Alliance for Climate and Food Systems Research; WBCSD
  47. 7/7. 17:00 – 18:30 CEST. Post-COVID 19 Implications on Genetic Diversity, Genomics Research and Innovation: A Call for Governance and Research Capacity by CIRAD), CERAAS, CSTEPS; Arizona State University (USA); Keystone Policy Center (USA)
  48. 7/7. 18:30 – 20:00 CET. The True Cost and True Price of Food. by True Price Foundation; University of Pretoria; Tufts University
  • This Global Dialogue on Trade will be co-organised by the Special Envoy of the UN Food Systems Summit, Dr. Agnes Kalibata and the World Trade Organisation. 
  • The Dialogue will discuss how the trading system can best be reformed to address the food needs of tomorrow, and support sustainable development as called for by the Preamble to the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the WTO. Watch from 14:00 CEST - follow the Summit's social media for updates.
6 July 2021. 3pm EAT (Nairobi). The Right to Seeds and Intellectual Property Rights. by APBREBES - Geneva Academy

6 July 2021. African CITYFOOD Month Campaign 2021
  • 6/7. 2pm CAT. African City food Exchange Part 1: What have we learnt from the UNFSS independent food dialogues process in 16 cities? Registration Link
  • 13/7. 12pm CAT. African City food Exchange Part 2: A city-to-city workshop on achieving sustainable urban food systems. Registration Link
  • 20/7. 2pm CAT. Sustainable food cultures: How our appetites can transform our cities. Registration Link
  • 27/7. 2pm CAT. Where Chemistry, Storytelling and Policy Collide: Lessons from the Inclusive Metabolism Project. Registration Link
6-9 July 2021. FAO-CIRAD international conference on Geographical Indication.


7 July 2021. 11.00-12.30 CEST. Contractual relationships and contracting arrangements in the agrifood sector by COLEACP and the Foundation for World Agriculture and Rurality (FARM foundation)

7 July 2021. 11:00 to 12:15 CEST. Rooting for root causes: Moving from one-sided labels towards fruitful dialogues on future agricultures
7 July 2021. 14:30 CEST. Forest data and free open-source solutions for Climate Action by FAO

8 July, 2021. Independent Dialogue UNFSS. Young African Researchers' Dialogue (YARD) : mobilizing Young African researchers for the UN Food Systems Summit
  • 8/7: 13:00 – 14:00 CEST SESSION 1: SCIENCE FOR THE FOOD SYSTEMS SUMMIT: UNLOCKING THE POTENTIAL OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION (STI) FOR TRANSFORMATION OF FOOD SYSTEMS
  • 8/7: 14:00 - 15:30 CEST SESSION 2: SCIENCE AS ACTION: SCIENCE-BASED OPTIONS TO ACHIEVE more healthy diets and more inclusive, SUSTAINABLE, AND resilient food systems
  • 8/7: 15:30 - 17:00 SESSION 3: PUTTING SCIENCE TO WORK: SCIENCE, PEOPLE AND POLICY
  • 8/7: 17:00 - 18:00 SESSION 4: WHY THE FIGHT: GETTING TO GRIPS WITH MISSED OPPORTUNITIES AND CONTENTIOUS ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND INNOVATION FOR FOOD SYSTEMS
  • 9/7: 13:00 – 14:00 SESSION 5: ACHIEVING THE 2030 GOALS: OPPORTUNITIES, TRADE-OFFS, OBSTACLES AND SYNERGIES
  • 9/7: 14:00 - 15:30 SESSION 6: EMPOWERING AND ENGAGING KEY PLAYERS IN FOOD SYSTEM INNOVATION
  • 9/7: 15:30 - 17:00 SESSION 7: BRAVE NEW WORLD: PUSHING THE FRONTIERS OF SCIENCE FOR FOOD SYSTEMS
  • 9/7: 17:00 - 18:00 SESSION 8: LOOKING AHEAD: STRATEGIC FOOD SYSTEMS SCIENCE BEYOND 2030
12-13 July, 2021. Independent Dialogue UNFSS. A Small Business Agenda for the Food Systems Summit By FAO/ Wasafiri
  • a Draft Report “A Small Business Agenda for the Food Systems Summit” will synthesise findings from 11 regional SME dialogues, a global SME survey, expert interviews and a literature review.
  • The report highlights the essential role that SMEs must play in strengthening food systems, the constraints they face in elevating their positive impact, and offers recommended pathways to boost their contribution.
12 July, 2021. Independent Global Dialogue UNFSS. UN Food Systems Summit Global Producer Dialogue by PAFO, SACAU

  • The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2021 (SOFI 2021) report presents the first evidence-based global assessment of chronic food insecurity in the year the COVID-19 pandemic emerged and spread across the globe. 
  • The report will also focus on complementary food system solutions that address the key drivers of food insecurity and malnutrition, and will be presented by the FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO. Join in from 10:00 EDT.
12 - 13 July, 2021. Independent Dialogue UNFSS. European Union/DG Sante EU Citizens Dialogue on Food Systems
  • Registration form
  • Participants will be divided into groups to focus their debates on the following themes: (a) Green claims and sustainable food labelling; (b) Sustainable production; (c) Sustainable and healthy diets; (d) Antimicrobial resistance; (e) Prevention and reduction of food waste
  • The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Food Network+ (SFN) brings together STFC researchers and facilities with research and industry in the agri-food sector.
  • Register by 4th of July
13 July 2021. 1:30 PM CEST. Potential implications of Carbon Dioxide Removal on the Sustainable Development Goals in the African and the Latin American and Caribbean regions
In the context of the forthcoming Conference on Climate and Development in Africa (23rd-27th August), and in preparation for COP26, African and LAC countries are considering the best options that can help them reduce their carbon emissions, achieve net zero while also accelerating the achievement of the SDGs.

13 July 2021. Financing for the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement: The UN Ecosystem of Initiatives on Private Sector Finance


13-15 July 2021. FAO Regional Conference for the Near East
Priority 1: Rural transformation for youth employment and income.
Priority 2: Transforming agri-food systems to promote healthy diets for all.
Priority 3: Greening agriculture: towards sustainable recovery and climate change action.
Priority 4: Building resilience to multiple shocks.

14 July 2021. Circularity for Resilience and Jobs: Green Recovery Policies Are The Global Opportunity Today - by UNEP 
 

 

22 July 2021. 12:00-14:00 (GMT). PAFO-COLEACP INNOVATIONS SERIES. Session n°5. Food and Nutrition Security: the contribution of SMEs and businesses

26 - 28 July 2021. Pre-Summit of the UN Food Systems Summit

2-4 August 2021. Cairo, Egypt FI Africa 2021 Conference organised by MEFOSA - MENA Food Safety Associates for professionals from across the ingredients and packaging & processing technology spectrum, including those from F&B manufacturing, researchers, trade chancellors.

12 August 2021. 15:00 – 16:30 CET. Global webinar to launch the report on: Joint rapid appraisal on strengthening agricultural innovation systems in Africa, Asia and Latin America by regional research and extension organizations.

23-27 August 2021- Online World Water Week 2021

30 August - 1 September 2021. 1st Mediterranean Water-Ecosystem-Food-Energy (WEFE) Nexus Conference

3 September 2021. IUCN World Conservation Congress

September 2021. Regional Climate Week (Thematic Session): Africa

6-10 September 2021 20th Organic World Congress

6-12 September 2021. Intra African Trade Fair 2020

13 - 16 September 2021 - Global Symposium on Salt-Affected Soils

13 - 16 September 2021. The Third All Africa Post Harvest Congress and Exhibition

13-17 September 2021 Land Commons virtual conference

13-17 September 2021. 3rd All Africa Post-Harvest Congress And Exhibition

15-17 September 2021. Tropentag is the largest interdisciplinary annual conference in Europe on development oriented research in the fields of sub-/tropical agriculture, food security, natural re- source management and rural development. This years theme of the conference is: Towards shifting paradigms in agriculture for a healthy and sustainable future

21-23 September 2021. South Africa innovation Summit

28-30 September 2021. Agricultural Research for Development Conference 2021

September 2021 - Second Plenary meeting on soil spectroscopy (date tbc)

28-30 September 2021. Agri4D Online Conference 2021. Food Systems for New Realities. 
  • by SLU/Sweden. Registration is free of charge and will open in June 2021. 
  • Call for abstracts closed 31/05.
  • Theme 2 of the Agri4D conference focuses on the role for smallholders within inclusive food systems that will enable rural and urban (producer and consumer) food and nutrition security. There is tremendous potential for smallholders to benefit from the current changes occurring within rural-urban food systems as greater proportions of developing country populations shift to being net purchasers of food, and as rural populations increasingly consolidate into new small towns, and as existing urban populations grow. 
  • There are also high risks and many barriers, particularly in the face of changing land markets, declining plot sizes, rising agribusiness-Big Food industry interactions and changing dietary needs and preferences, not to mention changing climatic and environmental conditions, or disruptive pandemic health threats.

19 October, 15:45-17:00 BST / 10:45 – 12:00 ET. CHILD LABOUR IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

October 2021 - Sustainable soil management for nutrition-sensitive agriculture: Micronutrient workshop (date tbc)

October 2021 - Launch of the Global Status of Black soils and Global Black Soil Distribution Map (GBSmap)

October 2021 - 3rd Workshop of the International Network of Black Soils (INBS) (date tbc)

October 2021 - 7th meeting of the International Network of Soil Information Institutions(date tbc)

October 2021 - 5th meeting of the Global Soil Laboratory Network (date tbc)

2-3 November 2021. FAO high-level Global Event on Ending Child Labour in Agriculture

November 2021 - 6th meeting of the Eurasian Soil Partnership (date tbc)

November 2021 - 15th working session of the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils (date tbc)

5-6 November 2021. African Summit on Entrepreneurship and Innovation by UNIDO

5 December 2021 - World Soil Day "Halt soil salinization, Boost soil productivity"

17-19 November 2021. 8TH ANNUAL ReNAPRI STAKEHOLDERS CONFERENCE

6-10 December 2021. THE SEVENTH AFRICA HIGHER EDUCATION WEEK AND RUFORUM TRIENNIAL CONFERENCE

December 2021 - Global Soil Information System launch event (date tbc)


14-20 August 2022. 31st International Horticultural Congress, IHC2022, Angers, France

WEBINAR: 2nd LEAP4FNSSA Project Sub-regional Dissemination event

29 June 20212nd LEAP4FNSSA Project Sub-regional Dissemination event toward African and European funders, policymakers and other actors in the field of food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture (FNSSA)

The meeting was organized by the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies – Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari (CIHEAM-IAMB, Italy), in collaboration with the Ministry of High Education, Science and Research (MHESR, Egypt) and the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA, Ghana).

The event focused on:
  • sharing outcomes from LEAP4FNSSA West Africa Workshop, from the 2nd Raising Awareness Event and the Stakeholder Engagement Week to contribute framing the proposed AU-EU Platform for R&I on Food Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA).
  • expand the network of stakeholders by inviting them to join the on-building Platform.
  • explain the International Research Consortium approach.
  • raise awareness and interest from African and European stakeholders to join (or to express their interest to join) the platform.
The meeting targeted mainly to public/private funders and policy makers in R&I from Africa, and Europe. The event also involved cooperation agencies, research institutions, research funding agencies, AU-EU projects coordinators, and the civil society at large, including entrepreneurs, farmers’ associations and other potential users and stakeholders. Young European and African entrepreneurs were invited.
Panel Session
  • Henning Knipschild (BLE – Germany) works in the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food / Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung (BLE), an institution directly subordinated to the German Government and empowered to conduct business on behalf of the German Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL).
  • Prudence Nare Makhura (NRF – South Africa). Prudence is a Director for international partnerships and collaborations at the National Research Foundation of South Africa.
  • Eric Mwangi (DRST – Kenya) - Dr Eric Mwangi is a research scientist and policy advisor. H
  • Mary Obodai (CSIR – Ghana) - Prof Mary Obodai is the immediate past Director of the CSIR-Food Research Institute and an Associate Professor at the CSIR College of Science and Technology.
  • Alaye H. Magloire Firmin Oteyami (VART-LAB – Benin) - Magloire Firmin Oteyami is a researcher from West Africa specialised on plant breeding and seed production, agronomist, environmentalist, geneticist- breeder.
  • Claude-Arsene Savadogo (BIOPROTECT – Burkina Faso) is the Managing Director and co-founder of GIE BIOPROTECT-B and BIOPROTECT Sarl., a Burkinabe company created in 2011 and specialized in the research and development of biological solutions for agriculture. BIOPROTECT produces organic inputs (biopesticides, biofertilizers and biostimulants) based on local resources (fungi, plants, agricultural residues) to provide farmers with affordable inputs to ensure the sustainability of production systems and food quality. BIOPROTECT-B  was supported by the Africa-Europe platform for agricultural research and development (PAEPARD).
  • Hamidou Hamadou Tamboura (FONRID – Burkina Faso) is the Director general of Research and Innovation for Development Funding Agency of Burkina Faso (FONRID).
  • Rose Omari (CSIR-STEPRI – Ghana). Dr Rose Omari is a Senior Research Scientist at the Science and Technology Policy Research Institute, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR- STEPRI), Ghana. Wrap-up and conclusion

AATF Launches New Variety Of Cowpea In Nigeria

28 June 2021. Large-scale adoption of emerging agricultural technologies and innovations could be the cure to endemic challenges facing African small-holder farmers including diseases, pests and climatic stresses..

Denis Kyetere, outgoing executive director, African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) said that transforming subsistence farming in the continent lies in greater uptake of innovations and improved market linkages. (on 25/06 AATF was bidding farewell to its Executive Director, Dr Denis Tumwesigye Kyetere on his retirement after a successful 10-year tenure at the organisation).

The transgenic cowpea variety known as SAMPEA 20-T is resistant to the pod borer pest Marucca and
was released in Nigeria in December 2019 for commercial cultivation. The variety can produce higher yield than the conventional varieties, with reduced use of pesticides by farmers from eight times per cropping season to only two.
  • The new variety of beans which is genetically modified, would boost farmers income as well as scale up production of cowpea in the country. It is resistant to lethal pests, it is not only high yielding but will also lead to reduced use of pesticides by farmers from eight times per cropping season to two.
  • Enhanced yield for Nigerian farmers will help address the national cowpea demand deficit of about 500,000 tonnes and improve the national productivity average of 350 kg per hectare.
  • Smallholder farmers in Kenya, Ethiopia and Mozambique could soon commence planting genetically engineered maize that is tolerant to drought and voracious pests like fall armyworm, subject to regulatory approval. 
  • There is urgency for African governments to create a conducive policy and regulatory environment to facilitate uptake of agricultural innovations at the small-holder level, boost food security and rural incomes.
  • Ongoing efforts to transform cassava value chains in Nigeria, Zambia, Uganda and Tanzania through mechanization and agro-processing have boosted yields and income for local farmers.
Ousmane Badiane, chair of AATF Board of Trustees said that providing African smallholder farmers with affordable and user-friendly technologies and innovations is key to realize sustainable development goals related to ending extreme poverty, hunger and malnutrition.

Related:
AATF Delivering the first Biotech Food Crop to West- Africa: PBR Cowpea

Sustainability of agricultural and fisheries value chains in EU partner countries

In November 2020, Agrinatura organised a webinar entitled “Covid-19: new challenge or new opportunity to enhance sustainability of agricultural and fisheries value chains in EU partner countries?”. It was organised within the framework of the Value Chain Analysis for Development (VCA4D) programme, which is funded by the European Union (EU). The VCA4D programme involves carrying out analyses of priority value chains in EU-partner countries in order to assess their sustainability and inclusiveness from social, economic and environmental perspectives.

The event was an opportunity for reflection and dialogue between experts involved in the VCA4D studies and policymakers on disruptions which occurred in various value chains (VCs) as a result of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Key findings from case studies presented:

The experts presented evidence from 10 case studies from Africa and South America. It is evident from these cases that the effects of as well as responses to the pandemic differed across VCs and countries.

Part 1 - Introduction to the webinar 

  1. Case 1/ Ethiopia - Cotton (Gian Nicolay) – 8:23
  2. Case 2/ Ecuador - Cocoa (Johan Blockeel) – 13:33
  3. Case 3/ Togo - Pineapple (Konga Palassi and Osée Alate) – 16:40
  4. Case 4/ Angola - Coffee (Bernardo Piazzardi and Margarida Lima de Faria) - 21:24
  5. Case 5/ Mali - Fisheries (Ivonne Acosta Alba) - 32:01
  6. Case 6/ The Gambia - Fisheries (Adama Mbaye) - 38:07
  7. Case 7/ Colombia – Diary (Gustavo Saldarriaga) - 43:29
  8. Case 8/ Ghana – Sorghum (Ricardo Villani and Gideon Onumah) - 48:31
  9. Case 9/ Nigeria - Maize (Muhammed Bello and Gideon Onumah) - 58:22
  10. Case 10/ Zambia – Maize (Anthony Chapoto) - 1:04:23

Part 2 - Questions & Answers & Wrap-Up: “a synthesis of the evidence emerging from the different cases” 



Part 3 - “In the policy officers’ shoes” - insights, comments and questions: will the Covid-19 crisis change the future?

  • Guy Faure, DEVCO C1, Rural Development, Food Security and Nutrition
  • Catharina Bamps, Delegation of the European Union to Angola - 07:40
  • Katrine Mulvad Thomsen and Frank Isioma Okafor, Delegation of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS – 16:14
  • Questions & Answers
  • See the transcript 02/06/2021: Summary of the VCA4D webinar

Part 4 - Concluding remarks

  • Dr Marie-Hélène Dabat & Dr Gideon Onumah

Monday, June 28, 2021

WEBINAR: Science for the society – How to secure food in a sustainable way

24 June 2021. World Food Convention – “Science for the society – How to secure food in a sustainable way”

The global society is facing major challenges. The growing population of the planet must be fed in a fair and sustainable manner. Producing enough food causes new, different problems which harm the climate. On top of that, the COVID-19 pandemic endangers the security of food production and the stability of supply chains, threatening food safety. Against this backdrop, scientific institutions as well as companies from both the old and the new economy are searching for ways to cope with these challenges. 

At the 5th World Food Convention, leading minds from science, politics and the economy discussed how food security can be ensured all over the planet without further exacerbating climate change and to find strategies to address these issues with regard to possible future pandemics. The focus was not only on the technological and technical aspects of food production and distribution but also on related ethical questions and political considerations. 


Food Security and Smallholder Farmers

  • Arif Husain, Chief Economist at UN World Food Programme
  • Dr. Jacqueline Mkindi, CEO of the TAHA GROUP and Board Member of the Agricultural Council of Tanzania (ACT)
  • Rodger Voorhies, President of the Global Growth & Opportunity Division and a member of the Executive Leadership Team at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  • Prof. Dr. Joachim von Braun, Economist, Director of the Center for Development Research (ZEF), Chair of the Scientific Group, UN Food Systems Summit

Genome Editing

  • Yvonne Colomer, Executive Director, Triptolemos Foundation
  • Dr. Jon Falk, Managing Director of Saaten-Union Biotec GmbH
  • Dr. Michael Kock, SVP, Innovation Catalyst, INARI
  • David Spencer and Svenja Augustin, Öko-Progressives Netzwerk/Givegenesachance
  • Pia Voelker, Referee Gen-Ethisches Netzwerk e.V.
  • Irene Sacristán Sánchez, Head of Unit at the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, European Commission

Farm to Fork

  • Michaela Küfner - Moderator
  • Keynote - Julia Klöckner, German Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture
  • Tassos Haniotis, Acting Deputy Director-General in the European Commission’s Directorate General Cabinet for Agriculture and Rural development
  • Christoph Heinrich, Chief Conservation Officer at WWF Germany
  • Christiane Lambert, President COPA-COGECA

Carbon Farming

  • Interview: Prof. Dr. Heinz Flessa,Head of the Department “Agricultural Climate Protection” at Thünen Institut
  • Ertharin Cousin, Ambassador, Visiting Scholar at the Center on Food Security and Environment at Stanford University
  • Liam Condon, Member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG and President of the Crop Science Division
  • Dr. Agnes Kalibata, Rwandan agricultural scientist and policymaker; President of the AGRA and UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy to the 2021 Food Systems Summit

Innovations in Food

  • Statement: Howard-Yana Shapiro, Distinguish Senior Fellow, Resilient Landscapes Principal, Double Helix Consulting Retired Chief Agricultural Officer at Mars, Owner at Double Helix Racing
  • Start-up pitch: Regina Schmidt, Head of Innovation Projects at the United Nations World Food Programme Innovation Accelerator
  • Interview: Erica Bliss, Business Development Manager, Mineral @X, The Moonshot Factory
  • Closing Speech: David Beasley, Executive Director for the UN World Food Programme (WFP)

REPORT + WEBINAR: Value Chain Development and the Poor: Promise, Delivery, and Opportunities for Impact at Scale

Jason DonovanDietmar StoianJon Hellin (2020) Value Chain Development and the Poor. Promise, delivery, and opportunities for impact at scale. pp. 368

Since the early 2000s, value chain development (VCD) has figured prominently on the agendas of donors, governments, and NGOs in pursuit of market-based options to poverty reduction, food security, gender equity, and other goals.

Researchers have shown interest in value chains as a theoretical construct for studying interactions between farmers and markets, while practitioners have focused their attention on approaches and tools for applying VCD in the field.

Despite considerable investments in VCD, limited evidence exists on the extent to which different approaches to VCD have advanced diverse development goals. This knowledge gap sounds alarms, not least because of the complexities involved and the multitude of options for getting it right (or wrong).

This collection offers unique perspectives on VCD from both practitioners and researchers. It explores how VCD is implemented in the field, options for innovation in design, and the potential for VCD to achieve impact at scale. Altogether, the book provides a timely critique of current approaches, pointing at options for more reflexive learning, new collaborative frameworks, and faster innovation of VCD.

The book is an invaluable resource for those working with NGO programming, development think tanks, donor organizations or private foundations, or researchers with an interest in rural development.

Related: Launch of the report

17 June 2021Value Chain Development and the Poor: Promise, Delivery, and Opportunities for Impact at Scale

In recent years, value chain development (VCD) in the agrifood system has been hailed as a practical way to expand market access for smallholder producers, reduce poverty, enhance environmental sustainability, and improve food security and gender equity. Despite significant investments in VCD from governments, donors, and NGOs, however, evidence regarding the effectiveness of VCD interventions in addressing these important development goals remains lacking. Many existing studies have focused on the design and outputs of VCD interventions themselves rather than on their outcomes and impacts. As a result, the true reach of these programs remains unknown, particularly for poor populations.

A recent book, published by Practical Action Publishing and supported by the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM) and the CGIAR Research Program on Maize Agrifood Systems (MAIZE), looks to fill this important knowledge gap. Value Chain Development and The Poor: Promise, delivery, and opportunities for impact at scale provides a collection of case studies and lessons learned from VCD interventions in Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The book includes chapters written by researchers and development practitioners, providing an in-depth examination of VCD in both theory and in practice.

During this webinar, editors Jason Donovan, Dietmar Stoian, and Jon Hellin presented findings from the book and explored how VCD can be more effectively designed, implemented, and scaled up to include and benefit poor populations.
  • Moderator: Erwin Bulte, Professor of Development Economics, Wageningen University
  • Jason Donovan, Senior Economist, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)
  • Dietmar Stoian, Lead Scientist, World Agroforestry (ICRAF)
  • Jon Hellin, Head of the Sustainable Impact Platform, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
  • Closing remarks: Frank Place, Director, PIM



FACCE-JPI: harnessing joint programming to support transformation of Food Systems

25 June 2021.  The Joint Programming Initiative for Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change (FACCE-JPI) organised a dedicated workshop for invited participants to contribute to the vision and objectives of the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS).
FACCE-JPI aims to draw on this experience and expertise, in particular the insights gained by placing food Systems in the context of climate, to identify those changes to agricultural production which are required for transformation of Food Systems. 

The goals of the workshop was to raise awareness among scientists, research funders, and policy advisors and policy makers about FACCE-JPI’s contributions to making food production more sustainable and to ensuring food security in Europe and around the world, and to discuss ways in which the initiative can contribute to the goals of the UNFSS.

In its Strategic Research Agendas published in 2012 and 2020, which have been implemented in more than 140 funded projects in the last decade, FACCE-JPI has promoted a vision for European agricultural production that is nature-positive, nutritious and resilient in the face of climate change and other shocks. Through a focus on knowledge synthesis and impact, a co-creation approach to translating effective agricultural practices into the field and closer communication with policy-makers – supported by impact measurement – the initiative is now committed to providing the scientific insights required for transformation of food systems and progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. 

SESSION 1: What changes to agricultural production are required for transformation of Food Systems?

  • Co-Chairs: Frank Ewert (member of the Scientific Committee of the UNFSS and the FACCEJPI Scientific Advisory Board) and Jean-François Soussana (member of the Scientific Committee of the UNFSS and the FACCE-JPI Governing Board) 
  • Joachim von Braun, Chair of the Scientific Group of the UNFSS Expectations of the Scientific Group for the Summit 

  • Gudrun Langthaler, Chair of the FACCE-JPI Governing Board Welcome 
  • Kerstin Rosenow, Head of Unit Research and Innovation DG Agriculture, EU Commission The view from the EU Commission on the transformation of Food Systems 

  • Anne Mottet, Livestock Development Officer, FAO Livestock production and Food Systems

SESSION 2: FACCE-JPI’s approach to transformation of Food Systems – joint programming and a focus on agricultural production and food security in the context of climate change

  • Gudrun Langthaler, Chair of FACCE-JPI Governing Board and Jean-François Soussana FACCE-JPI’s approach to transforming Food Systems 
  • Frank O’Mara, Director of Research at Teagasc, Ireland FACCE ERA-GAS: the ERA-NET cofund for monitoring & mitigation of greenhouse gases from agri- and silvi-culture 
  • Maurice Héral, Head of Department of Environment and Biological Resources, ANR, France FOSC: the ERA-NET on Food Systems and Climate 
  • Pete Smith, Chair in Plant & Soil Science, University of Aberdeen, UK The DEVIL project: Feedback Loop Interactions Between Land Use Change and Food Security Dynamics 
  • Katharina Helming, Head of the Sustainability Impact Assessment research group, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Germany The MACSUR Science-Policy Knowledge Forum for strategic design of climate change adaptation and mitigation measures 

SESSION 3: How can FACCE-JPI contribute to the goals of the UNFSS?

  • Chair: Gianluca Brunori, Chair of FACCE-JPI Scientific Advisory Board 
  • Frank Ewert, FACCE-JPI Scientific Advisory Board FACCE-JPI’s Strategic Research Agenda 2020 

Discussions in breakout groups: How can FACCE-JPI help make Food Systems more sustainable and promote food security?