European Development Days (EDD 2022)

21-22 June 2022 European Development Days (EDD 2022) – taking place in Brussels and online. The 15th edition will focus on “Global Gateway: building sustainable partnerships for a connected world.”. Below are some sessions related to FNSSA and research in general

21 June The AU-EU Innovation Agenda Science, Technology, Innovation and Research - High-Level Panels European Commission - DG for Research and Innovation

The AU-EU Innovation Agenda The 17-18 February EU-Africa Joint Summit acknowledged the African Union-European Union Innovation Agenda as part of the Global Gateway Strategy; thus launching its implementation.

The AU-EU Innovation Agenda is included in the final declaration of the joint summit as the Africa regional part of the Global Gateway Strategy. This underlines the role of R&I being part of a joint vision for a renewed Partnership for sustainable development.

Participants underlined the need for the Innovation Agenda to be based on equitable, inclusive partnerships and mutual respect. Emphasis was given to the importance of building bridges through increased partnerships, especially across the private sector, in part to stimulate market access for innovation. There was a plea for more capacity building, knowledge transfers and exchanges, in addition to a call for better leveraging of scientific knowledge. 

A call was also heard to increase the role of digital technology in the Innovation Agenda, as an enabler of innovation. The importance of fully including youth from the outset of this process was highlighted, as was the need to avoid a ‘brain drain’ to harness economic growth.

• Irina Reyes Spokesperson for Commissions for Research , Innovation, Education, Culture & Youth - European Commission
• Elisha Caleb Chief Executive Officer, Agrotech Plus
• Prof Aggrey Ambali AU Development Agency - NEPAD

21 June Potential Role of Green Hydrogen in Just Transition

This session presented the concrete contribution of green hydrogen to the energy transition. One presentation showcased how green hydrogen could be produced/used in North Africa. Speakers discussed long-term green hydrogen strategies that were developed in a project financed by the African Development Bank then executed by GOPA - International Energy Consultants and Hamburg University of Technology. The project is based on a rigorous evidence-based approach.

Africa has huge opportunities regarding green hydrogen in areas such as transport and industry, as well as in hard to decarbonise sectors like steel. It could enable African countries to become low carbon and net providers of energy. The panel outlined the key factors needed for this to become a reality: increased solar and wind energy, political stability, coastal access, land, water, infrastructure and expertise. In Chile, green hydrogen is considered key to reaching carbon neutrality. It launched a green hydrogen strategy in 2020 and has global partnerships in place, including with Europe.

21 June Connecting partner researchers for sustainable and resilient agriculture 

- Lab Debate CIRAD. Quality and relevant agricultural research calls for data sharing and knowledge exchanges across regions. Research and training platforms in partnership (“dispositifs de recherche et de formation en partenariat” dP) are structured around priority thematic areas jointly defined by the partner research organisations involved and guiding the work of multidisciplinary teams, under a common governance.

21 June Regreening Africa and the Great Green Wall 

- Project/ Report Presentation World Agroforestry Centre. Panellists summarised the successes of the Great Green Wall initiative and lessons learnt to date. Key lessons included the importance of empowering and incentivising local communities to ‘own’ restoration projects. The importance of building diverse strategic partnerships and strengthening private sector investment was also underlined.

• Mieke Bourne - Regreening Africa Programme Manager, World Agroforestry Centre
• Bernard Crabbé - Team Leader of the Environment and Circular Economy sector at the European Commission, Directorate-General for International Partnerships
• Birguy LAMIZANA DIALLO - Sr Programme Officer United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
  
  

21 June Digitalization the key to sustainable coffee?

 - Agora Fairtrade International

Digitalisation in the coffee sector offers both challenges and benefits to coffee producers and exporters, the panel heard. The endless possibilities include improved traceability and training; however, old fashioned capacity building skills are still needed to help small family coffee growers who will need to spend most of their time growing coffee. The panel concluded that it was important to use digitalisation to share information upstream with producers as well as downstream with exporters.

• Cristina Reni Anzola - Alliances for Action. Market Development Coordinator International Trade Centre
• Rafael FONSECA - Exports Manager COOPERATIVA MISTA AGROPECUÁRIA DE PARAGUAÇU LTDA
• Rafaël Van den Bruel - Manager/Founder Coffeelab Independent

21 June The Global Gateway in Africa 

- Special Event European Commission - Directorate-General for International Partnerships

The panel discussed key challenges facing Africa, including ensuring ample electricity and food supplies, and how to empower young people as future entrepreneurs. The need to balance investment in infrastructure with investment in people and regulation was also stressed. Panellists pointed out that for investors to have confidence in Africa, they need to be sure of a stable long-term policy environment. The audience heard that the EU-Africa Investment Package now needs to be put into action, and that success would include the implementation of projects, increased foreign direct investment and improvements in healthcare, education, skills and entrepreneurship.

• Saara KUUGONGELWA-AMADHILA Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia
• Mohapi MOHAPINYANE Minister of Energy and Meteorology of the Kingdom of Lesotho
• Kandeh YUMKELLA Founder and CEO TENN | Co-chair Africa Europe Strategy Group on Energy AFRICA EUROPE FOUNDATION
• Ousmane KANE Minister of Economic Affairs and Promotion of Production Sectors of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania
• Amadou HOTT Minister in charge of Economy, Planning and International Cooperation of the Republic of Senegal
• Jutta URPILAINEN European Commissioner for International Partnerships

22 June Food security in time of crisis 

Special Event French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Panellists outlined what they are doing within their own practices to address the sustainability of the food system during times of crisis. Consensus was shown on the need to build a more resilient, greener and global food system and to increase funding, in addition to the necessity of implementing a framework designed to develop more localised agricultural production systems and supply chains. The French Development Minister presented the three pillars of the FARM initiative: trade, solidarity and sustainable production. She then called on the G20 to play their part in terms of ensuring a clear vision of market flows and stocks to preserve the fluidity of world trade in agricultural products.

• Moderator : Dr Suzanne Ngo-Eyok, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT Managing Director for Africa - CGIAR
• Ms Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, Minister of State for Development, Francophonie and International Partnerships - France
• Mr Kako Nubukpo, Commissioner for Agriculture, Water Resource and Environment, West African Monetary and Economic Union - UEMOA (online)
• Mr Jean-François Riffaud, Director-general - Action Against Hunger (Action Contre la Faim / ACF) (online)
• Dr Jo Puri, Associate Vice-President, Strategy and Knowledge Department - IFAD (online)
• Mr Koen Doens, Director-general for International Partnerships - European Commission

22 June Inclusive Growth -Digital Transformation of African smallholder farmers

 - AgoraBayer AG The digital transformation can bring many benefits to smallholder farmers in Africa, including access to training, access to markets and possibilities for mobile banking and financing.

• Khadi CAMARA Deputy Head Countries & Markets German African Business Association
• Adegboyega David SODADE Project Manager The Europe-Africa-Caribbean-Pacific Liaison Committee
• Jeroen KROEZEN Partnership Manager Solidaridad Network
• Everlyn MUSYOKA Smallholder Strategy and Partnerships Lead Africa Bayer CropScience

22 June AgriFi and ElectriFI - the Agriculture and Electrification Financing Initiatives 

EDFI Management Company With regard to investments in agriculture, the speakers noted that many farmers lack access to training, technology and finance. The Sistema.bio’s biodigester solution, which transforms organic waste into organic fertilisers, was also presented. It is estimated that it can allow for small farmers to reduce their respective Co2 emissions by 6 to 15 tonnes per year.

• Dominiek DECONINCK Chief Investment Officer EDFI Management Company
• Stefano SIGNORE Head of Unit, F.1 European Commission - Directorate-General for International Partnerships
• Esther ALTORFER Managing Director East Africa Sistema.bio