Paepard Holds A Writeshop To Respond To The Joint Cultivate Africa Future Fund 2 (Cultiaf-2) ..

Paepard Holds A Writeshop To Respond To The Joint Cultivate Africa Future Fund 2 (Cultiaf-2) ..

by | Mar 1, 2018 | News And Events

February 16, 2018: Entebbe, Uganda:

The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) and the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), through the Platform for African European Partnership on Agricultural Research for Development  (PAEPARD) Project, organized a write-shop to respond to the joint International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) call which was launched in January and will close on 1st March 2018. The objective of the write-shop was to build partnerships and develop competitive research proposals that meet donor requirements. The event was held from February 12 – 16, 2018. Participants came from a diversity of stakeholders ranging from farmer organizations, private sector, NGOs, universities and research organizations.

This call will support cutting edge applied field and/or laboratory research projects with the potential to generate high impact and innovative results with particular impact on the food insecure and the poor in Eastern and Southern African countries. All projects require a sound environmental impact assessment, the consideration of social and gender issues, and an applicability to smallholder farmers. The projects should address real practical development challenges and research needs of the 10 developing countries of Eastern and Southern Africa including Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The fund will focus on issues under four key research areas aligned to regional priorities as stated in the Malabo declaration:

  1. Improved productivity and incomes for farmers and communities and decreased post-harvest losses;
  2. Improved gender equity;
  3. Nutrition and human health; and
  4. Climate change and sustainable water management.

Participants brainstorming during the writeshop at Entebbe

Of special interest to this group is supporting innovative research with the potential for breakthrough results that can be effectively scaled-up and easily adopted by smallholder farmers, food processors, post-harvest handlers, and other value chain actors to improve food and nutrition security and achieve gender equality. Fifteen concept notes were developed by participants and are expected to be submitted on the March 1, 2018.

PAEPARD II is a consortium of 9 partner institutions in Africa and Europe, funded by the European Commission (EC) and coordinated by FARA.

PARI HOLDS ANNUAL RESEARCH AND PLANNING MEETING, COTONOU, BENIN

PARI HOLDS ANNUAL RESEARCH AND PLANNING MEETING, COTONOU, BENIN

by | Feb 12, 2018 | News And Events

Cotonou 10th February, 2018:

On February 8 to 9, 2018, about sixty participants from thirteen African countries, Peru, Poland, and Germany gathered together to discuss the research results reached during the first phase (2015 – 2017) of the programme of Accompanying Research for Agricultural Innovation (PARI), and to plan for the second phase (2018 – 2019) of this programme. African countries represented in this meeting were Benin, Burkina-Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Togo, Tunisia, and Zambia. African Development Bank (AfDB), and the World Bank were also represented.

This PARI meeting started with an opening ceremony led by: the Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fishery (MAEP), Dr. Françoise Assogba-Komlan, representing the Minister; the Director of the Centre for Development Research (ZEF, University of Bonn), Professor Joachim von Braun; the Africa Director of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI/AGRODEP), Dr. Ousmane Badiane; the Executive Director of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Dr. Yemi Akinbamijo; and the Director General of the Institut National des Recherches Agricoles du Bénin (INRAB), Dr Patrice Ygué Adegbola. In their opening speeches, these personalities highlighted how much the African PARI countries as well as the other African countries still have to work hard to bring investors, private sector, and all other stakeholders together to face growing challenges and to transform African agriculture as per planned by the African Union. More specifically, the Executive Director of FARA, Dr. Yemi Akinbamijo, stressed on how much Africans need to consistently and continuously rely on quality science to trigger African green revolution by finding African quality solutions to African problems.

Group photo of participants to the 2017 PARI Annual Research and Planning Meeting, Golden Tulip Le Diplomate Hotel, Cotonou, February 8, 2018

A Facilitator and three Presenters responding to participants’ questions, 2017 PARI Annual Research and Planning Meeting, Golden Tulip Le Diplomate Hotel, Cotonou, February 8, 2018

This opening ceremony was followed by plenary presentation and discussion of thirteen research results, and about twenty posters.

On February 9, 2018, the 2017 PARI annual and planning meeting participants split into four thematic groups; reflected and deliberated on research focus and questions, deliverables, roles of research cluster partners, and ways to engage policy makers in policy related issues, for PARI phase 2 (PARI 2.0). The research clusters (RC) and themes for PARI 2.0 related to: (RC1) Targeting investments in innovations and framework conditions across Africa; (RC2) Mechanization and skill development for productivity growth, employment and value addition; (RC3) Digitalization in agriculture, food and nutrition; (RC4) Enhancing opportunities for the youth in the rural economy; and, (RC5) Opportunities for policymakers’ engagement in policy related issues.

The PARI meeting ended up with two panel discussions on “Leverage Points for Transforming African Agriculture: Investment opportunities for food security, employment and rural development”. The first panel was composed of the Honorable Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fishery of Benin Republic, Mr. Gaston Cossi Dossouhoui; the Director of ZEF, Prof. Joachim von Braun; the Africa Director of IFPRI/AGRODEP, Dr. Ousmane Badiane; and the Executive Director of FARA, Dr. Yemi Akinbamijo.

From left to right, Dr. Ousmane Badiane (IFPRI/AGRODEP); Hon. Minister Gaston Cossi Dossouhoui; Dr. Yemi Akinbamijo (FARA); and Prof. Joachim von Braun (ZEF); PARI annual Meeting panel discussion, Cotonou, February 9, 2018

 

The second panel was composed of a representative from the World Bank, Dr. Simeon Ehui; and the Coordinator of Technologies for African Agriculture Transformation (TAAT) programme at African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Jonas N. Chianu; and facilitated by Dr. Ousmane Badiane, Prof. Joachim von Braun, and Dr. Yemi Akinbamijo. In all, the panelists emphasized the necessity for engaging stakeholders from both public and private sectors to consistently and holistically design and implement relevant policies, and to adequately invest, to support professional and passionate agricultural stakeholders, to fulfill the African agricultural transformation goal.

 

PARI originates from the special initiative of the German Federal Government “One World without Hunger” (SEWOH) funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It aims at contributing to sustainable agricultural growth and food and nutrition security in Africa and India.

OYO STATE GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA ON TWO-DAY WORKING VISIT TO FARA

OYO STATE GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA ON TWO-DAY WORKING VISIT TO FARA

by | Jan 26, 2018 | News And Events

ACCRA, 26th January, 2018:

The Oyo State Government of Nigeria had a working visit to the FARA Secretariat 25-26 January 2018. The High-Level delegation was led by the Honorable Commissioner for Agriculture (Prince Oyewole Oyewumi) to discuss proactive and pragmatic modalities of raising the Oyo State agricultural bar given the natural endowments within the state.Other members of the Oyo State delegation include Hon Safiu Olalere (Chairman House Committee on Agriculture), Ms Ganiyat Olawoore (Special Assistant to the Governor on Agriculture) and Mrs F. F Akande (Programme Manager and Chief Executive Oyo State Agricultural Development Programme).

The mission was commenced with a courtesy call on the Nigeria High Commissioner – Amb Femi Michael Abikoye who warmly received the delegation at the Nigeria High Commission premises. In his welcome remarks, Amb Abikoye encouraged the delegation to focus only on one or two key areas that can be targeted for maximum impact.

The working visit was therefore guided by the wisdom provided by Amb Abikoye in the convergence of thoughts around only three key strategic areas. The business model will be developed for these three commodities and subject to further discussions with the State authorities, FARA will mediate some support using its South-South Collaboration window.

The management of FARA is delighted to have been able to provide some support that will go a long way to strengthen the good work of the Oyo State Government in Agriculture. The Mission closed on a very happy note at 1300 on Friday 26th January 2018.

Amb Femi Michale Abikoye – Nigeria High Commissioner in Ghana (3rd left) flanked by Prince Oyewole Oyewunmi – Honorable Commissioner for Agriculture, Oyo State Government (3rd right) and Dr Yemi Akinbamijo – Executive Director, FARA (2nd left), Hon Safiu Olalere (1st right) Mrs Akande (2nd Right) and Ms Ganiyat Olawoore posing with the members of the Oyo State delegation, FARA staff and Officers of the Nigeria High Commission, Accra Ghana shortly after the Courtesy visit. [Photo Credit/Francis Kpodo/FARA]

NIGERIA ENVOY LAUDS FARA, INSTITUTO BRASIL AFRICA

NIGERIA ENVOY LAUDS FARA, INSTITUTO BRASIL AFRICA

by | Jan 25, 2018 | News And Events

ACCRA, 24th January 2018:

THE Nigeria High Commissioner to Ghana HE Amb Femi Michael Abikoye in the company of the Head of Chancery Mr. Hong paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Director of FARA Dr Yemi Akinbamijo. During the visit, the Ambassador also met with the President of the Bazil-Africa Institute – Prof Joao Bosco Monte to discuss issues of mutual benefits between Brazil and Africa. Ahead of the opening of the Africa Office of the Instituto Brasil Africa scheduled to happen later in the year, IBRAF is also working on a draft Memorandum of Understanding with FARA as one of its strategic partners in Africa.

During the courtesy visit, the Ambassador applauds the evolving partnership between FARA and IBRAF while appreciating the great effort deployed to strengthen the science in agricultural production systems through the Science Agenda for Agriculture (S3A). The Ambassador further reiterates his willingness to strengthen South-South Collaboration initiatives as a possible strategy to checkmate the needless harrowing migrations across the Mediterranean Sea.

Ambassador Abikoye was received in audience by the Executive Director and FARA’s Head of Human Resource and Administration

Dr Yemi Akinbamijo Executive Director , FARA(3rd from right) and HE Amb Femi Michael Abikoye (2nd Right) High Commissioner of Nigeria in Ghana flanked by Prof Joao Bosco Monte President Brazil Africa Institute (1st Right) and Mr Hong (Head of Chancery, Nigeria High Commission 1st Left) and Ms Ama Pokua Asenso, Head of HR & Admn, FARA, 2nd left during the visit of the Nigerian Envoy.