ARUA-SFS Science Days and High-Level Colloquium

23 – 25 August 2022. ARUA-SFS Science Days and High-Level Colloquium

To follow the livestream, kindly use this link: https://bit.ly/3TeYIB1

The African Research Universities Alliance Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Food Systems (ARUA-SFS) hosted a Science Days and High-level Colloquium event. 

ARUA-SFS established in 2018 is a partnership between the host institution – the University of Pretoria (UP) – and collaborating partner institutions – the University of Ghana and the University of Nairobi. The Centre aims to create an engaging global network of talented researchers to move institutions forward in finding solutions to Africa’s most wicked food systems challenges.

The theme for the event was titled “From Food Security to Sustainable Food Systems: Addressing the Challenges and Ensuring Institutional Alignment”. 

FSNet-Africa has been invited to host two sessions during the event. The first session showcases how the FSNet-Africa model works. The second session provides high-level insights on the enablers for achieving food systems transformation in Africa.

• See the full programme
• See the list of speakers 

The objectives of the event were to:

1. Reflect on the trajectory of ARUA-SFS as a unique model for operationalising and integrating transdisciplinary research (governance, implementation arrangements and ongoing research).
2. Map out the institutional capacities for addressing sustainable food systems and research across the five research focal areas.
3. Showcase programme outputs and impact as we close-out the Capacity Building in Food Security for Africa (CaBFoodS-Africa) programme (August 31, 2022).
4. Demonstrate the Food Systems Research Network for Africa (FSNet-Africa) model.
5. Dialogue on key food systems transformation issues through a colloquium of leading experts, opinion leaders and policy influencers in light of prevailing continental and global challenges (COVID-19, conflicts) affecting the research and policy space.

Day 1 Extracts

 

ARUA-SFS RESEARCH FOCAL AREA PROJECTS (afternoon)

1. AFRICA’S CROPS - FORENS - PROF NAUSHAD EMMAMBAUX (UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA) AND PROF NDOMELELE NDIKO LUDIDI (UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN CAPE)
   The Food and Livelihood Resilience from Neglected and Underutilised Plant Species
   in Africa (FORENS) is an Africa-Japan collaborative programme funded by the National Research Foundation of South Africa.
2. AFRICA’S CROPS - FOSTA - PROF CECILIA ONYANGO (UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI) AND PROF WANDA MARKOTTER (UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA)
   The Food Systems Transformation in Southern Africa for One Health (FoSTA Health)
   aims to develop ambitious and inclusive visions of, and action plans for, food systems
   transformation in order to achieve positive One Health outcomes in Southern Africa.
   The project is co-led by the University of Nairobi and University of Leeds. Funded by EC/Horizon Europe
3. AFRICA’S HERDS – GREENHOUSE GAS MEASUREMENTS (GGM) – DR LINDEQUE DU TOIT (UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA)
   The project Greenhouse Gas Measurements (GGM) Project seeks to advance a
   regional programme of work to promote innovation and research on shared challenges
   in the agricultural sector, including issues such as sustainable agriculture, indigenous
   development, and climate change across Southern Africa. The project is supported by
   the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC)
4. FOOD SYSTEMS DIALOGUES – MS SHIELA CHIKULO (ARUA-SFS, UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA)
   The Food Systems Dialogues explore inclusive and diverse approaches to conducting
   conversations on priority issues related to food systems. The dialogues provide a
   unique opportunity for all stakeholder groupings to convene and add their voice on
   important food systems issues. This particularly applies to voices that are often
   overlooked and/or marginalised. Through dialogues, collaborative ideas and actions
   can be developed to inform the food systems transformation agenda. The Food
   Systems Dialogues are convened in partnership with Dr. David Nabarro and the Skills,
   Systems and Synergies for Sustainable Development (4SD) team and the Imperial
   College London.

Day 2: Extracts

THEME A: BUILDING CAPACITY IN FOOD SECURITY FOLLOWING DIFFERENT

APPROACHES

1. POSTGRADUATE COURSE IN FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY - PROF HETTIE SCHÖNFELDT (UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA)
2. POSTGRADUATE COURSES IN THE “PRODUCTION AND USE OF FOOD COMPOSITION DATA IN NUTRITION” (PROF HETTIE SCHÖNFELDT, UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA)
3. TRAINING ON THE REDUCTION OF POST-HARVEST LOSSES (PROF JANE AMBUKO, UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI)

THEME B: RETAINING NUTRIENT QUALITY THROUGH COMPLEMENTARY

INTERVENTIONS

1. TAKE STOCK AND IDENTIFY APPROPRIATE POST-HARVEST PRACTICES AND TECHNOLOGIES TO SCALE-UP (PROF JANE AMBUKO, UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI)
2. SITUATIONAL ANALYSES - NUTRIENT QUALITY, FOOD BASKETS AND PRICING OPTIONS (DR HESTER VERMEULEN, BFAP)

THEME D: POLICIES FOR OPTIMAL NUTRITION-SENSITIVE OPTIONS

1. DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENT IN-COUNTRY POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES (PROF SIMBA SIBANDA, FANRPAN) 
2. STRENGTHENING POLICY MAKERS ON NUTRITION-SENSITIVE POLICY OPTIONS – A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION (PROF SIMBA SIBANDA, FANRPAN)

THEME E: HIGH-LEVEL COLLOQUIUM ON “ENDING HUNGER”

1. HIGH-LEVEL COLLOQUIUM ON “ENDING HUNGER” (PROF LINDIWE MAJELE SIBANDA, UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA)
2. SYNTHESIS AND CLOSING: PROF LISE KORSTEN, CO-DIRECTOR OF THE DST-NRF CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN FOOD SECURITY, UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA

SESSION F: HIGH-LEVEL COLLOQUIUM

• OPENING AND WELCOME – DR. HEIDE HACKMANN, INTERIM DIRECTOR, FUTURE AFRICA INSTITUTE, UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA
• SETTING THE SCENE - PROF. FRANS SWANEPOEL, FSNET-AFRICA DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA
• GENDER RESPONSIVE AFRICAN FOOD SYSTEMS - DR.THANDI MGWEBI, DVC: RESEARCH, INNOVATION AND INTERNATIONALISATION (RII), NELSON MANDELA METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY
• THE ROLE OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN FOOD SYSTEMS TRANSFORMATION - DR. STEFANO MARRAS, DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS - UN AFFAIRS, BAYER CROP SCIENCE
• PARTNERSHIPS IN AFRICAN FOOD SYSTEMS TRANSFORMATION MS. JOYENE ISAACS, CHAIRPERSON ARC
• STRENGTHENING FOOD SYSTEMS RESEARCH CAPACITY IN AFRICA - DR MOSES OSIRU, MANAGER, REGIONAL COORDINATION UNIT (RCU) OF THE REGIONAL SCHOLARSHIP AND INNOVATION FUND (RSIF)
• BIG DATA FOR FOOD SYSTEMS TRANSFORMATION - DR YEMI AKINBAMIJO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FARA
• INFLUENCING POLICY FOR FOOD SYSTEMS TRANSFORMATION - PROF RICHARD MKANDAWIRE, DIRECTOR OF ALLIANCE FOR AFRICAN PARTNERSHIP (AAP)
• THE TRUE COST OF FOOD - MR WANDILE SIHLOBO, CHIEF ECONOMIST, AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS CHAMBER OF SOUTH AFRICA
• INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES TO INFORM AFRICAN FOOD SYSTEMS TRANSFORMATION - PROF CLAIRE QUINN, FSNET-AFRICA CO-DIRECTOR AND CO- INVESTIGATOR, UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS, UK
• MODERATED DISCUSSION – PROF. LINDIWE MAJELE SIBANDA, DIRECTOR AND CHAIR, ARUA-SFS, UP

Background 

ARUA Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Food Systems

The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Food Systems (formerly ACoE in Food Security) was established in 2018 as a partnership between the host institution – University of Pretoria – and collaborating partner institutions – University of Ghana and University of Nairobi. 

The ARUA-SFS aims to create an engaging global network of talented researchers to move institutions forward in pursuit of a common goal. It is recognised that finding solutions to the food security and nutritional challenges in Africa is a huge and daunting task, and there are many local and internationally based organisations working in the African food and agriculture domain. The aim of the ARUA-SFS is not to duplicate efforts, but to create a critical mass of talented researchers working synergistically to maximise complementarity.