Tropical Summit & South-South-North triangular cooperation - Portugal

4–8 November 2024. Lisbon, TROPICAL SUMMIT - Foreseeing Answers to Global Challenges
Tropical Summit: A unique multi-actor forum to achieve the 2030 Agenda through triangular cooperation.

• 5 - 6 November 2024. 16.30 - 18.00 CET. FARA side event Catalyzing agro-ecological transitions in the tropics in the context of climate change

The main objectives of Tropical Summit are to promote the transfer of knowledge, stimulate multidisciplinary collaboration and the involvement of stakeholders, and contribute to the co-creation and innovative projects, capitalizing and densifying existing initiatives and collaboration platforms for the rapid implementation of tangible and robust solutions. The focus will be on South-South-North triangular cooperation and 4 thematic areas:

1. ‍PLANETARY HEALTH: Nurturing life within the global boundaries
2. AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT: Sustainability as a path to socioeconomic progress
3. TERRITORIAL AND SOCIAL TRANSITIONS: Building resilient spaces and societies in every dimension
4. HUMAN GROWTH: Empowerment and technology for the times ahead

Extracts of the programme

5/11 High-level Session

• Carmen Neto - Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources
• Florbela Paraíba - President of Camões I.P
• Jeffrey Sachs - President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network
• Maria da Graça Carvalho - Minister of the Environment and Energy
• Ravi Khetarpal - Executive Secretary of Asia Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI)
• Ubiraci Pataxó - Master of Knowledge and President of the Korihé Institute

5/11 Catalyzing agro-ecological transitions in the tropics in the context of climate change

Parallel Session - Roundtable
‍Organised by : FARA / CORAF / CCARDESA / RUFORUM / JRC-ISPRA / AE-TPP (CIROF - ICRAF) / IFAD

This panel session discussed the critical role of agroecology in addressing food system challenges in Africa, particularly under the looming impacts of climate change. Opening remarks by Dr. Aggrey Agumya focused on the need for a robust ten-year agricultural strategy from FARA that acknowledges the benefits of agroecology, a point furthered by Dr. Guy Faure’s insights on EU support and the importance of innovation and market access for agroecological systems. Dr. Marc Corbeels highlighted the detrimental effects of climate change, indicating changes in temperature and rainfall that could reduce crop yields. Discussions led by Prof. Rachel Wynberg outlined fundamental principles and necessary transformative approaches to agroecology. The session identified key action items for scientists, researchers, policymakers, and research institutions to bolster evidence, innovation, market access, and research capacity, while also addressing the challenges of urbanization and waste management in agroecological practices. Overall, the meeting underscored the urgency of catalyzing agroecological practices as a resilient response to climate change and food security challenges in Africa.

• Aggrey Agumya, FARA
  

FARA is developing 10-year agricultural strategy for Africa. No mention of agroecology in the strategy despite efforts. Lack of evidence cited as reason for not featuring agroecology prominently. Call for scientists to provide more concrete evidence on agroecology benefits.

• Guy Faure, EC-INTPA

He emphasized need for innovation in agroecology to boost production, Highlighted importance of better market access for agroecological farming systems, EU is funding regional multi-actor research networks to strengthen research capacity

• Marc Corbeels, CIRAD
  
  He presented the CANALLS project. This research project aims to drive agroecological transitions in the humid tropics of Central and Eastern Africa via multi-actor transdisciplinary Agroecology Living Labs (ALLs) and providing holistic agroecological solutions that meet the challenges of the local food systems. The ALLs are based in 
  
  
1. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Bunia in DRC (Lowlands/ cocoa) + Biega in DRC (Highlands/ coffee) + Kabare (Highlands/ coffee) + Uvira (Lowlands/ cassava, rice)
2. CAMEROON: Ntui (Lowlands/ cocoa) 
3. BURUNDI Giheta (Highlands/ coffee) + Bujumbura (Lowlands/ maize)
4. RWANDA Kamonyi (Highlands/ cassava)
   
   
• 
  Rachel Wynberg, University of Cape Town
  
  She presented the RAENS research project: Research for Agroecology Network Southern Africa
  
  She referred to the book
  
  Rachel Wynberg (2024) African Perspectives on Agroecology Why farmer-led seed and knowledge systems matter # 398 pp.
  
  
  
  This book offers a contribution that is enriched by the collaborative, creative, and critical voices of African farmers, activists, scientists, scholars, and policymakers. Their viewpoints combine in this volume to articulate a shared and dynamic vision of a world where agriculture is productive, diverse, and sustainable; where different ways of seeing and knowing are respected; and where seed and food systems are in the hands of farmers and local communities.
  
  
• Baitsi Podisi, CCARDESA
  
  

06/11 Agricultural Development

• Keynote - Sammy Aggrey Professor in Genetics and Genomics at the University of Georgia, Athens
• Bongiwe Njobe - Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA)
• Karen Montiel - Technical specialist, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture
• Ravi Khetarpal - Chair of the Global Forum on Agriculture Research and Innovation (APAARI)
• Sylvain Perret - Director of Agrinatura
• Moderator: Oseyemi Akinbamijo Former Executive Director of FARA

06/11 Building Climate-Resilient Agri-Food Systems: Case Studies and Indicators

Parallel Session – Project Showcase

• Transformative Agri-Food Supply Chains for Climate Resilience – Which indicators are suitable to measure resilience and social transformation? - Christine Altenbuchner, BOKU University
• Agroecological Solutions for Resilient Farming in West Africa - The Cape Verde Case Study - Miguel Ribeiro, ADPM - Associação de Defesa do Património de Mértola
• Variability and Trends in the Beginning and End of the Rainy Season in West Africa. The Guinea-Bissau case study - Orlando Mendes, National Meteorological Institute; Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning
• Sustainable Aquaponics for Food Security in SIDS: A Case Study of São Tomé and Príncipe - Britta Kautzman, School of Agriculture; Lisbon School of Economics & Management
• INNOECOFOOD - Eco-innovative technologies for improved nutrition, sustainable production and marketing of agroecological food products in Africa - Ana Faria, CIIMAR – Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research
  INNOECOFOOD aims to establish innovative production/ business ECOHUBS and improve local aquaculture farms using AI and IoT in six African countries. To support EU-AU markets and trade, INNOECOFOOD will train rural farmers, youth and women to innovatively produce and process nutritious aquaculture catfish and tilapia, blue-green cyanobacteria spirulina, and insect value chains that will be processed into certified marketable human food products and feed. The project aims to establish ECOHUB farms in six African countries, Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Namibia, Tanzania and Egypt, where sustainable cultured fish, Spirulina (a green-blue algae) and insects will be produced using innovative artificial intelligence technologies and climate-friendly renewable local energy sources, with optimized production-processing-operation-marketing. This project will also lead to the employment and training of local people with low socio-economic status in these ECOHUB farms, enabling them to sustainably continue the production chain and cycle in the ECOHUB farms, and to produce and process certified, marketable food and industrial products from these innovative farms, thus providing the potential for sustainable social impact.
• Soil Salinity and Saline Agriculture in Eastern & Southern Africa: Experiences from a Regional Technical Network Initiative - Jakob Herrmann, Weltweit – Association for the Promotion of Local Initiatives e.V.; Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Soil Science and Soil Protection

06/11 Transforming African farming and food systems through research and innovation – A presentation and discussion with six EU-H2020 projects

• Adam Standring, Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestão
• Idalina Dias Sardinha, Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestão
• Giles Young, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)
• Helena Serrano, Faculty of Sciences - University of Lisbon
• Cristina Branquinho, Faculty of Sciences - University of Lisbon
• Mary Steverink-Mosugu, ISRIC - World Soil Information
• Giovanna Seddaiu, University of Sassari
• Harun Cicek, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture
• Fernando Sousa, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture
• Vladimir Mrkajić, InoSens
• Mila Sell, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)

6/11 Reflections of Agroecology as pathway to climate change adaptation and mitigation

Parallel Session – Roundtable
Organised by: FARA / CORAF / CCARDESA / RUFORUM / JRC-ISPRA / AE-TPP (CIROF - ICRAF) / IFAD

• Alex Awiti, CIFOR-ICRAF
• Felix Rembold, EC-JRC
• Khamis Fathiya, ICEPE
• Irene Kadzere- Forichi, FiBL
• Emmanuel Njukwe, CORAF

07/11 FOOD4WA: Sharing Africa's Centers of Excellence and Innovative Agricultural Solutions with the World

Parallel Session - Project Showcase & Debate

Organised by: Food for West Africa Network

In line with strengthening Inter-ACE collaborations, various thematic networks have been created under the ACE Impact Project. The Food for West Africa (FOOD4WA) is one of eight thematic networks established with the aim of advancing collaboration on cutting edge research, to address food insecurity challenges within the region. The Network headquarters are based at the Regional Center of Excellence on Poultry Sciences (CERSA) of the University of Lome-Togo.

• Eh Samba Sylla, Food for West Africa Network (FOOD4WA)
• Centre of Excellence on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture (CCBAD) of Côte d’Ivoire
• West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI)
• CDA of Nigeria
• AGRISAN of Senegal
• CERSA from Togo