Chair of the CIRAD Scientific Council and Board Chair of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa
By Elisabeth Claverie de Saint Martin
CEO of CIRAD
Africa and France would benefit from working together towards the transition of agri-food systems in the face of the growing challenges of climate change.
The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us of the importance of the work of farmers to human life everywhere in the world. Yet in Europe, fewer and fewer people work in agriculture. On the contrary, in Sub-Saharan Africa almost two thirds of the jobs are directly linked to agriculture. By 2050, 60% of the global workforce will be located in Africa with half of the active population in rural areas. The training of Africa’s next generation therefore seems to be a key issue. But training in what kind of agriculture and in which food production system?
African expertise
Agriculture contributes to the many challenges our planet faces. It produces greenhouse gases, is responsible for deforestation, uses pesticides and fertilizers that cause pollution and biodiversity loss. Processed food has also its flaws: too much sugar, salt and preservatives that could increase the prevalence of obesity and diabetes, two scourges that make populations more susceptible to infectious diseases such as COVID-19.
While European agriculture has gone a long way in simplifying farming systems and habitat artificialization, African agriculture has upheld some traditions and some expertise that could be a source of inspiration for the rest of the world. However, Africa needs to increase crop yields to feed a growing population and provide farmers with a decent living. For our agronomists, this will include the use of fertilizer (nitrogen) even if the quantities required are limited. This is one of the many components and one of the challenges resulting from agro-ecological intensification on the continent.
Innovating and becoming more resilient
It is indeed time to recognize and validate solutions that build on ecological process within agroecological systems. The principle of agroecology is to take ecosystems, in order words, the nature, as models for agriculture. Many scientific and farmer inputs and insights are required to enhance the ecological processes. This will entail research, training, a lot of discussions and sharing to innovate and become more resilient. There is therefore also a need to make financial investments and for researchers, technicians, farmers, the African Union, and the European Union to work together.
We discussed the issue of agroecological transitions with our African partners during the Montpellier Global Days Africa 2021, just before the new Africa-France Summit. During these days dedicated to science, education and innovation and led by the Montpellier University of Excellence, other flagship topics were discussed: sustainability and diversity of food systems, health management – using a One Health approach– cultivated and uncultivated biodiversity; water and inequality in land ownership, attractiveness of rural jobs with the development of digital agriculture as well as the need to properly fund African agricultural research systems. Together, let us invest in research, innovation and training to ensure the transition of our agri-food systems!
Le CORAF a le plaisir d’annoncer la nomination de Dr Emmanuel Kouopkwa Njukwe au poste de Directeur de la Recherche et de l’Innovation, à compter du 1er octobre 2021
Dr Njukwe, ressortissant camerounais, apporte plus de deux décennies d’expérience dans le domaine de la recherche et du développement axés sur la diffusion des innovations auprès des petits agriculteurs.
Dr Njukwe était, jusqu’à sa nomination, représentant résident de l’Institut international d’agriculture tropicale (IITA) au Burundi, un poste qu’il occupait depuis 2018.
« Je suis ravi que Dr Njukwe rejoigne l’équipe de direction du CORAF pour soutenir l’élan visant à stimuler la prospérité et à renforcer la sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle en Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre », a déclaré Dr Abdou Tenkouano, Directeur Exécutif du CORAF.
« Ce n’est un secret pour personne que notre système alimentaire est en proie à d’énormes difficultés. La pandémie de COVID-19, le changement climatique, la dégradation des sols, les pertes post-récolte, les politiques inadaptées, etc. n’ont fait que rendre beaucoup plus difficile la réalisation de l’objectif « faim zéro » d’ici 2030. Nous espérons que Dr Njukwe nous aidera à apporter la recherche et les solutions scientifiques pertinentes aux utilisateurs finaux afin de transformer notre secteur agricole. »
Titulaire d’un doctorat en agronomie de l’Université de Kyoto au Japon, Dr Njukwe jouait jusqu’à récemment un double rôle à l’IITA : il était coordinateur de projets soutenus par la Banque mondiale au Burundi et représentant résident de l’IITA au Burundi. Ce poste lui a permis de coordonner des partenariats dans la région des grands lacs africains axés sur la diffusion des technologies et des outils de formation auprès des utilisateurs finaux.
Dr Njukwe parle couramment l’anglais et le français et dispose d’une vaste expérience en matière d’élaboration, de gestion et d’évaluation de projets axés sur l’évaluation participative du matériel génétique ainsi qu’en gestion des cultures et des sols. Il est récipiendaire de nombreux prix et certificats d’appréciation pour sa contribution aux approches innovantes de mise à l’échelle des innovations. En outre, il a publié de nombreux articles dans des revues scientifiques de renommée mondiale.
« Je ne pouvais refuser l’occasion d’apporter ma contribution à la sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle de plus de 430 millions de personnes en Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre. Je me réjouis de relever le défi et d’apporter un appui à la direction du CORAF en vue de la réalisation de ses priorités stratégiques » a affirmé Dr Njukwe.
Gender integration into National Investment Plans (NAIPs) across Africa is critical to ensure inclusiveness in the implementation of climate change adaptation interventions in agriculture. Most significantly, women’s participation in agriculture is high, and their output feeds most households in Africa, accompanied by gender gaps in access to information, input, education, technologies, and markets. The CSA continental studies that were presented on October 14 and 15, 2021, at the Technical and Policy Dialogue on Climate-Smart Agriculture in Africa revealed that gender issues are grossly underrepresented.
Therefore, efforts towards gender mainstreaming must be responsive to country priorities while facilitating systems that will foresee impact at scale, such as multi-stakeholder initiatives at local, national, and global levels. At the same time, National investment plans should prioritize systemic, integrated action, such as the Agricultural Innovation Systems approach that is being advanced by the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA). To be effective, investment plans should be anchored in the science, evidence, and knowledge that has emerged in the CSA studies so far.
At the dialogue, Dr. Podisi, the CAADP XP4 program coordinator at CCARDESA, highlighted that gender disparity and social exclusion continue to hamper development progress. He reported that out of 162 CSA initiatives, 40.3% consciously incorporated gender equality and social inclusivity. Out of 351 CSA initiatives reported in the ASARECA region, only 131 are gender-responsive. Prof. Alessandro Cocchi also alluded that African Extension and Advisory Systems (AEAS) institutions are generally unprepared to mainstream gender equality issues across CSA initiatives. Women are generally underrepresented within the AEAS to champion the cause of gender mainstreaming in the implementation of CSA initiatives.
As we observe the international rural women’s day, we need to interrogate our approaches, attitudes, and perception, especially towards gender equality across CSA initiatives. Rural women are counting on us to intentionally generate and implement solutions that will provide tangible solutions for addressing CSA challenges and making CSA initiatives gender-balanced, transformative, and equitable.
Possible solutions to ensure such plans should not end up on bookshelves but are implemented
Strengthening the capacity of stakeholders in mainstreaming gender and social inclusivity for CSA. I suggest a deeper assessment on the ‘what’ and ‘how’ gender-responsive policies impede the formulation and operationalization of these strategies. In Mozambique, for example, the Climate Change and Gender Action Plan (ccGAP) aims to comprehensively develop and integrate the gender perspective throughout the environmental sector to improve the quality of life for all Mozambicans, particularly for women and local communities.
Secondly, we need to establish a continental mechanism to monitor progress on gender mainstreaming within these CSA initiatives by holding them accountable for gender equality in their leadership, internal workplace policies, and outcome. The tools developed should be able to generate gender-disaggregated data.
Member states governing bodies on environmental issues should commit to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment on CSA outcomes. I also suggest that the National Investment Plans of African countries to be hinged on gender budgeting, women’s leadership, and monitoring of gender outcomes.
Therefore, efforts must be made to ensure gender-sensitive language in the implementation of CSA initiatives. Texts referring to or addressing both women and men must make women and men equally visible. This applies to, amongst others, documents, texts on the internet, advertising for events, folders, posters, and films.
Furthermore, CSA stakeholders must pay attention to a gender-sensitive choice of images when preparing public relations material on Climate-Smart Agriculture. In this International Rural Women’s Day, under the theme “rural women cultivating good food for all,” let us recognize the work of the rural women in contributing to Climate-Smart Agriculture. Let us enhance CSA integrated approaches in the rural areas that provide equal opportunities for all.
CORAF is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Emmanuel Kouopkwa Njukwe as Director of Research and Innovation, effective October 1, 2021.
Dr. Njukwe, a national from Cameroon, brings over two decades of experience in research and development with a focus on scaling out innovations to small-holder farmers.
Dr. Njukwe was, until his nomination working as country representative of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Burundi. A position he has held since 2018.
“I am delighted that Dr. Njukwe will be joining the senior management team of CORAF to sustain the momentum towards boosting prosperity and strengthening food and nutrition security in West and Central Africa,” said Dr. Abdou Tenkouano, Executive Director of CORAF.
“It is no secret that our food system is under considerable stress. The COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, soil degradation, post-harvest losses, inadequate policies, etc., have only made the job of achieving zero hunger by 2030 much harder. We expect that Dr. Njukwe will support us in bring the relevant research and scientific solutions to the end-users to transform our agriculture industry.”
A holder of a Ph.D in agronomy from Kyoto University in Japan, Dr. Njukwe, until recently serving IITA in a dual capacity: coordinator of World Bank-supported projects in Burundi and IITA Burundi country representative. A position that allowed him to coordinate partnerships in the African Great Lakes region with a particular focus on out-scaling technologies and training tools to the end-users.
Dr. Njukwe is fluent in English and French and experienced in project development, management, and evaluation, focusing on participatory germplasm evaluation, including crop and soil management. Dr. Njukwe has received multiple awards and certificates for his contributions to innovative scaling up approaches of innovations. In addition, he has published many articles in recognized scientific journals around the world.
“The opportunity to provide my contributions towards the food and nutrition security of more than 430 million in West and Central Africa was one that I could not turn down. I am really excited by the challenge and look forward to supporting the management of CORAF in the achievements of its strategic priorities,” said Dr. Njukwe.
Consulting Services: Capacity Gaps Assessment in 6 Tertiary Education Trust Fund’s (TETFund) Centers of Excellence in Nigeria to improve Agricultural Research and Innovation Fellowship for Africa (ARIFA) design Name of Project: FARA/TETFUND/ARIFA Activity Ref No: FARA/DRI/ ICF03/2.3 TETFUND Procurement Ref: FARA/TETFUND/ARIFA/CS/IC/2021/01 Date: Monday, September 20, 2021 – Readvertised October 6, 2021
1. The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) are implementing a Brazilian component of the Agricultural Research and Innovation Fellowship for Africa (ARIFA). Under this partnership, TETFUND is supporting the training of Nigerian scientists in a tailor-made MSc/Ph.D. program in various fields of sciences related to agriculture at Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV)-Federal University of Viçosa.
With the goal of training 5000 Ph.D. in the next 10 years, ARIFA had to contend with the challenges posed by the covid pandemic. To address this challenge, FARA set up Virtual Training and Innovation Hubs (VTrain Hubs) in 6 TETFund selected Centers of Excellence, in the University of Benin; University of Lagos; Michael Okpara University of Agriculture; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University; the University of Jos and the University of Maiduguri in Nigeria where lectures are being delivered online. In the future, the VTRAIN hubs will host an Innovation Platform (IP) for generating technologies and solutions.
As online classes are going on in various courses, the implementation of ARIFA in the 6 VTrain Hubs will allow for gathering data on capacity needs within the ARIFA framework, which will help in documenting evidence on the impact of the program and inform future decisions on articulating and bridging capacity gaps in the context of Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D).
Consequently, FARA is seeking the service of a high-level consultant to facilitate the conduct of capacity gaps assessment as a basis for the development of a strategy for establishing IPs.
2. The overall objective of the assignment is to support FARA’s efforts of conducting capacity gaps assessment to develop a capacity action plan to improve the Agricultural Research and Innovation Fellowship for Africa (ARIFA) design.
3. This request for expression of interest aims at engaging a consultant to carry out the following functions:
a) Conduct capacity gap assessment for ARIFA beneficiary institutions
b) Develop capacity action plans for strengthening and scaling VTrain Hubs in Africa
c) Support the dissemination of capacity audit reports from ARIFA beneficiary institutions
The detailed terms of reference is in the link below:
4. The Executive Director of FARA invites interested consultants to express interest in carrying out this assignment.
5. Consultants interested in this call must provide an Expression of Interest no longer than 10 pages, outlining proposed methodologies, references related to the execution of similar contracts, experience in similar areas, or evidence of knowledge and a proposed timeline. Brochures, CVs, and other supplementary materials submitted shall not be accounted for as part of the 10-page limit.
6. The anticipated period of performance for this consultancy is 30 man-days spread over two months. The work shall be carried out from 15th October 2021 to 30th November 2021.
7. The individual consultant shall be selected based on procedures defined in the Procurement Guidelines of FARA.
8. Interested consultants may obtain further information from FARA’s Ag. Cluster Leader, Institutional Capacity & Future Scenario, Dr. Abdulrazak Ibrahim [[email protected]], and copy the Procurement Expert, Mr. Callistus Achaab [[email protected]], during the following hours: 9h00 to 15h00 GMT.
Please click Download the Terms of Reference below for further information on this opportunity.
9. Expressions of Interest should be submitted electronically to [[email protected]] and addressed to Dr. Yemi Akinbamijo, Executive Director of FARA, No 9 Flower Avenue, New Achimota, Mile 7, Accra, Ghana, no later than Wednesday, 20th October 2021, at 14h00 GMT. Tel: +233 302 772823/744888
10. FARA Affirmative Action Statement on Recruitment: there is no discrimination based on gender race, religion, ethnic orientation, disability, or health status.
