DECEMBER 2015
Special issue
Monthly newsletter - West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development
ECOWAP+10 WAAPP:
7 years of contribution to the ECOWAS Agricultural Policy
A SECTORAL FORUM TO ASSESS WAAPP :
10 YEARS OF THE ECOWAS AGRICULTURAL POLICY :
An exponential growth in agricultural productivity in West Africa
CORAF/WECARD rewards the 4 best innovation platforms in West Africa P.24
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WAAPP IMPACTS
WAAPP A MODEL FOR SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT IN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH FOR DEVELOPMENT IN WEST AFRICA
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WAAPP IMPACTS
CONTRIBUTION OF WAAPP TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ECOWAS AGRICULTURAL POLICY: Agricultural Technologies for sustainable improvement of productivity, food security and nutrition
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he intervention of CORAF/WECARD is to support the provision of appropriate innovations and technologies, the definition of strategic-decision making options for policies, institutions and markets, strengthening and coordinating agricultural research, extension and agricultural training and meeting the demand of the target groups in accessing agricultural technology innovations. These agricultural innovations are disseminated through the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP). WAAPP is designed to make agriculture more productive and sustainable, to improve the conditions of life of consumers through the provision of agricultural products at competitive prices and to support regional cooperation in agriculture in West Africa in accordance with action plans for agricultural policy managers of ECOWAS/ECOWAP and the NEPAD/CAADP. WAAPP aims to generate and accelerate the adoption of improved technologies in key priority areas of agricultural sectors involved in WAAPP, technologies that align with the priorities of the main agricultural priorities of the sub-region. It also aims to provide producers with
implementation, some results are largely achieved: the project has affected 5,797,396 direct beneficiaries, about 30 million indirect beneficiaries and 45% of women farmers in 13 countries in West Africa. The programme has also generated 159 technologies leading to 30% For ECOWAS, the institution to 150% increase in yield which initiating the program, WAAPP are being adopted by 2,835,718 is a unique tool that facilitates processors and producers on regional integration with the 3,094,170 hectares. exchange of technologies and innovations and the mobility of To date, nine National Centers researchers and actors between of Specialization (NCOS) are countries; this will help to operational and are intended accelerate the transformation to evolve into Regional Centres of the agricultural sector in the of Excellence (RCE) for better dissemination of technologies. sub-region. WAAPP also ensures continuity The major results of in research through the training WAAPP of 916 young researchers for their Masters and PhD. The West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) remains the largest regional program involving 13 West African countries. By 2025, this investment program aims to achieve 6% agricultural growth and increased food production in West Africa. technologies to enhance and improve the competitiveness of the main speculations in each beneficiary country. These objectives are detailed in the Agricultural Policy of the Economic Community of West African States [ECOWAP].
Since 2008, WAAPP has helped to build a food system to fight against hunger and poverty, to innovate, create, disseminate and adopt improved technologies as well as the creation of favorable conditions for regional cooperation. After eight years of CORAF ECHO SPECIAL ISSUE / DECEMBER 2015
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WAAPP : 07 YEARS AFTER
WAAPP CONTRIBUTION TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ECOWAS AGRICULTURAL POLICY:
Significant results Since its inception in 2008, the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Program (WAAPP) has supported not only the generation of 159 agricultural technologies and innovations but also successfully met the challenge of their wide dessemination throughout the13 countries of intervention of the project.
Increasingly technologies transcend borders
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AAPP has generated high yielding technologies generated under WAAPP we have : (a) rice seeder in Mali which has spread to five countries; (b) composite bread technology (mixture of local cereal flour and wheat), launched in Senegal and in now 5 countries; (c) high-yield varieties of cassava and orangefleshed sweet potatoes from Ghana are disseminated in 3 countries; (d) equipment for the production of parboiled rice in Guinea is being adopted in 4 countries; (e) tomato varieties adapted to the rainy season in Burkina are present in 03
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countries, etc. Regional cooperation on knowledge and technology transfer is intensified The different National Centres of Specialization have opened the doors of their governance bodies and programs to the subregion and internationally. The process of their transformation into Regional Centres of Excellence is ongoing. Each NCOS has organized subregional workshops to help WAAPP countries to developed their research programs taking into account regional concerns. The technologies adapted or generated with the support of the program are currently being disseminated in the
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sub-region and are changing the lives of beneficiaries. The WAAPP model has lightened interactions among stakeholders and value chains actors in addressing common regional issues. A total of 12 multi-countries projects on research and development funded under the regional competitive fund of CORAF/ WECARD, are ongoing with more than 40 innovation platforms in countries. Each of these research projects is implemented simultaneously in at least three countries and mobilizes the best researchers in the sub-region who work in partnership with various stakeholders within teams of the 13 WAAPP countries.
WAAPP : 07 YEARS AFTER
The rice seeder ÂŤWAAPP AMAÂť generated by WAAPP - Mali
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY IN WEST AFRICA
An impact beyond expectations
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he evaluation of the first series of WAAPP consisting of Mali, Senegal and Ghana confirmed that WAAPP has had positive and measurable impacts on yields of targeted commodities and on incomes of producers. In Senegal, impact assessment studies indicate an average 30% increase in yields of millet, sorghum, maize and fonio
among project beneficiaries whose incomes have also increased by an average by 34%. In Ghana, in addition to the significant increase in yields and income, WAAPP activities have had a positive impact on indirect beneficiaries who represent 25% of the direct beneficiaries. The results of the preliminary impact assessment in Mali
show an increase in yield varying between 10% and 32%, with much more significant increases in net incomes of farmers, ranging from 28% for corn silage residue to 70% for the production of corn kernels and 54% for rice production.
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10 YEARS OF ECOWAP
10 YEARS OF ECOWAS AGRICULTURAL POLICY:
The Prime Minister of Senegal calls for priority to be given to Agriculture in Africa The Prime Minister of Senegal, Mouhammad Boun Abdallah Dione, on Tuesday, 17th November in Dakar, stressed the need for “high priority to be given to agriculture in Africa,” the engine that drives its economy. He made te statement at the opening of the International Conference on Transforming Agriculture in West Africa on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Agricultural Policy of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAP). The conference was attended by the Senegalese Minister of Agriculture and Rural Equipment (MAER), Dr. Pape Abdoulaye Seck, the Ambassador of United States of America in Senegal, James Zumwalt, the representative of the World Bank in Africa, Eric Lancelot, the representative of the Kingdom of Spain, Mrs. Begonio Rubioet, and the Commissioner of Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources of ECOWAS, Dr. Lapodini Marc ATOUGA.
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His Excellence Mouhammad Boun Abdallah Dione, Prime Minister of Senegal prononcing its opening speech
he Prime Minister emphasized that the conference was very key as it shown shows the importance given to african agriculture in terms of evaluating the common agricultural policy of ECOWAS (ECOWAP). Speaking about the ECOWAP, the Prime Minister stressed that the Rice Offensive that target 25 million tons of white rice by 2025
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will reduce the common trade balance and generate significant revenue for producers and the private sector in West Africa. «We must build a productive, competitive and sustainable agriculture that will feed the people and that will generate sufficient income for producers, especially the youth so that they will no longer be tempted, attracted by the mirage of illegal
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immigration,» he stated. For the head of government, agriculture can and must play an important role to «stop this human tragedy.» For this purpose, he maintained that agriculture must be transformed and no longer considered as an activity for survival, an activity by default, but rather as a full-fledged economic sector where it is possible to invest and obtain returns on investment
10 YEARS OF ECOWAP and generate revenues. But to get there, the Head of the Senegalese Government also says that, agriculture needs capital,, technologies and innovations, storage facilities, processing units and organized markets. «We need to invest in rural areas: water, electricity, health, roads, etc., to absorb the gap and eliminate the disparities between urban and rural areas.» Regarding Senegal, the Prime Minister expressed his satisfaction with the policy pursued by the President of the Republic, Macky Sall, by developing the Senegal Emergent Plan (PSE), the baseline for the country’s
economic and social policy and recently the Emergency Plan for Community Development (PUDC). A program that has four components: rural electrification, water management, rural roads and mechanisms of support to women implementation of agricultural policies. « It is with such an agriculture that we must work to achieve our ambition and make ECOWAS a zone for abundant production for agricultural goods and services. This challenge is largely within our reach and we can win if we work on it,» he claimed.
the implementation of ECOWAP with innovative financing. We must therefore be imaginative to establish significant mechanisms to find the financial resources needed to implement the common agricultural policy of ECOWAS,» stressed the Prime Minister before a a large gathering made civil societies, diplomatic representations, ministers of agriculture of ECOWAS, professional organizations and representatives of agricultural research institutes.
« It is this inclusive agriculture that we must build as part of
Partial view of the podium at the official opening of the International Conference on Agriculture
Dr. Lapodini Marc ATOUGA. AEWR, ECOWAS
His Excellence James Zumwalt, US Ambassador to Senegal
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10 YEARS OF ECOWAP
A SECTORAL FORUM TO ASSESS WAAPP :
An exponential growth in agricultural productivity in West Africa As part of the international conference on agriculture in West Africa held in Dakar from 17 to 19 November, CORAF / WECARD organized a Sectoral Forum on Agricultural Productivity in West Africa. The objective was to showcase and assess the progress made by the Agricultural Productivity Program in West Africa (WAAPP) and its achievements, seven years after its inception.
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haired by Bakary THERATA, Malian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, the sectoral forum on agricultural development in West Africa has created an opportunity for experts to review the great achievements and challenges of the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Program (WAAPP) for an effective agricultural transformation. Unanimously, stakeholders confirmed that the program coordinated by the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF / WECARD) has enhanced improvement of productivity through increased crop yields and the development of agricultural research. The Forum was an opportunity to celebrate major agricultural research achievements of WAAPP countries. Senegal has made tremendous moves in solving the aging problem among researchers by training 99 PhDs and 69 Masters. Its quality human resources will ensure continuity of the next generation of researchers whose average age is about 50 years. The introduction of local cereals in bread has also been a success in Senegal. Currently, 200 bakeries use 15% local cereal flour in the manufacture of bread and 50% of the flour is also used for the production of pastries. The coverage area of technologies disseminated is 319,109 ha, with 343,047 producers who use its technology.
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Niger, within the framework of the transfer of such technologies, has been able to develop multi-systems dryers and solar crushers that have significantly reduced post-harvest losses and resulted in energy savings. The introduction of feed ration for cattle in the value chain has also enabled the enhancement of crop residues and promoted the fight against invasive plants. In the same vein, the productivity of the dairy and meat industry has improved markedly thanks to the crossing of the species and artificial insemination. In addition, about 35,000 people have benefited from the transfer of technology and 553,000 ha were sown. Concerning quality human resources, 34 PhD and 58 Masters students were enrolled in the project. Togo has developed and disseminated in the subregion three technologies including improved maize and rice seeds, cane planting and production of Djallonke sheep improved
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genitors. At national level, these technologies have been adopted by more than 120,000 farmers / food companies with more than 100 000 ha of areas covered by theses new technologies. WAAPPTogo has reached over 200,000 direct and indirect beneficiaries including 80,000 women. The centre of Specialization in Rice in Mali has developed varieties of seed with yields of 10 tons per hectare. Thanks to its electronic platform for seed distribution through the mobile phone (e-voucher), producers are informed in real time, thus reducing the intermediaries in the sector and the cost of inputs. The manual rice transplanters and motorized seed drills help to sow in 2 hours 1 hectare of land with 2 liters of gasoline only. In Cote d’Ivoire, WAAPP has reduced food insecurity from 36% to 15%. Other countries such as Gambia, Benin, Sierra Leone, among others, shared their success stories.
10 YEARS OF ECOWAP
WAAPP contribution to 10 years of ECOWAS Agricultural Policy:
WHAT THEY SAY... His Excellence Mouhammad Boun Abdallah Dione, Prime Minister of Senegal The West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) that is implemented since seven years in thirteen countries, with the support of the World Bank led to results that are interesting to scale up in a second phase. (...) We must continue to effectively transform our agriculture and no longer consider it as an activity for survival, an activity by default, but rather as a full-fledged economic sector where it is possible to invest and obtain returns on investment. Opening speech of the International Conference on agriculture- 17 November 2015, Dakar Senegal
Dr SimĂŠon EHUI, Practice Manager of the Agriculture Global Practice at the World Bank- Africa bureau WAAPP achievements are visible on the ground but an effort should be made for the scaling-up of disseminated technologies and innovations. The World Bank will remain committed to support countries in order to contribute to an agricultural development in West Africa. WAAPP wrap-up meeting - November 20, 2015, Dakar Senegal
Aifa Fatimata NDOYE NIANE, Agricultural Economist at the World Bnak- Senegal bureau WAAPP has enabled the research sector to assert itself to be operational and to show all its capacity to generate agricultural technology and also to support the training of young scientists for a significant increase in agricultural productivity in the subregion,� she said. WAAPP is now positioned as an innovative model of regional cooperation and technology transfer.
Press conference of the Agricultural Technology and Innovations Fair - November 13, 2015, Dakar Senegal
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SECTORAL FORUM ON WAAPP
SECTORAL FORUM ON WAAPP :
CORAF / WECARD advocates for increased resources to agricultural research During the sectoral forum on agricultural productivity, CORAF / WECARD, assessed the institutional capacity (financial and human) national agricultural research systems in West Africa. It came out that there are shortcomings in infrastructure, resources and training.
West Africa: 20 researchers per 1 million inhabitants
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study conducted in 2014 by CORAF / WECARD and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) on human resources available in the sector of agricultural research revealed that in 2011 there were only 5,000 researchers in the sub-region which reprensents between 15 and 20 researchers per 1 million inhabitants, with women accounting for only 20%. This report also highlights the aging aspects of researchers with an average of 55 years, which raises the issue of training the next generation of scientists in the sector. CORAF / WECARD also pointed out the low budgets allocated to agricultural research by member countries of the Economic Community of West African
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Agricultural funding dependent on external aid
country investment mechanism in agricultural research for development. The program was able to mobilize during the last 07 years more than 250 billion CFA francs for 13 countries for agricultural research through an adaptive programmatic loans (APL) system.
States (ECOWAS). The West African research system is handicapped by a dependency on aid in the form of development assistance from technical and financial partners. CORAF / WECARD as technical arm of ECOWAS The allocation of budget calls for scaling up the allocated to agricultural WAAPP model for a better research is 50% based on institutional, financial and the commitment of foreign infrastructural support aid. And, compared to the to National Agricultural general population of the Research Institutes (NARS) West African sub-region, and the Regional Centres of the average investment Excellence. in agricultural research is estimated at only 2 US Dollars per capita (2011). CORAF / WECARD advocates the diversification of sources of funding and positions the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Program (WAAPP) as a sustainable
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SECTORAL FORUM ON WAAPP
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AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGIES & INNOVATIONS FAIR
The West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF / WECARD) organized the West Africa Agricultural and Technologies and Innovations Fair from 17 to 19 November, 2015, in Dakar, Senegal. The Fair was attended by 12 of the 13 participating countries of the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Program (WAAPP) and about 10 Technical and Financial Partners’ organizations.
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AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGIES & INNOVATIONS FAIR
WEST AFRICA AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGIES AND INNOVATIONS’ FAIR
A big success for CORAF/WECARD
The Prime Minister of Senegal, the US ambassador to Senegal and the Executive Director of CORAF / WECARD visiting the stands at the official opening of the Agricultural Technology and Innovations Fair organized by CORAF / WECARD
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ll the 159 technologies generated by the program were presented to decision makers and more than a thousand visitors. A real success for CORAF / WECARD in terms of visibility. «We are very satisfied by this trade Fair because it allows us to exhibit our products but also offer the platform to interact with the other exhibitors and establish connections,» says Nafisa HAMIDOU, founder of a fodder production unit in Niger. «With the knowledge that I have gained from the agricultural technologies generated under WAAPP, I have created an industrial production unit that conforms to international standards and now I’m able to export my
products,» she continues. «During this event, we had the opportunity to present the agricultural products of our companies to visitors and especially to advocate among policy makers to create enabling conditions for the exportation of our products as well as the production in quantity that meets standards. So this fair is a real exchange hub of the various stakeholders involved throughout the agricultural value chain,» said Ms. Hawa BERETE, from the Africa Agroexport Association, an umbrella organization of African enterprises exporting transformed agricultural products.
disseminate appropriate and relevant technologies that were generated as part of the program, to increase awareness and interest in the sub-region. It was the opportunity to present all generated technologies including success stories highlighting the socioeconomic benefits of these agricultural technologies, to demonstrate the link between all exposed technologies and emerging issues such as climate change, Agriculture climate-smart, management of natural resources, as well as employment and income generation.
The West Africa Agricultural Technologies a n d Innovations Fair enabled CORAF/ WECARD to broadly CORAF ECHO SPECIAL ISSUE / DECEMBER 2015
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AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGIES & INNOVATIONS FAIR
SMALL-SCALE GROUNDNUT PROCESSING IN SENEGAL:
WAAPP funds close to 100 ‘’Seggal’’ pressedoil machines
WAAPP-Senegal through the National Agricultural and Agri-Food Research Fund (NARF) has financed the development of 100 machines at a total cost of 300 million CFA francs for the largescale dissemination of the groundnut oil mill,. The announcement was made by the machine designer. Thierno Souleymane Diack from the Food Technology Institute (ITA) during the West Africa Agricultural and Technologies and Innovations Fair.
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or Senegal, groundnut is the main cash crop and occupies a prominent place in the national economy. Apart from industrial oil production at the national level, groundnut processing is very important locally. As a result of the failure to prohibit the high consumption of artisanally-processed groundnut oil, usually contaminated with aflatoxin, which is a carcinogenic substance, researchers have come up with an alternative solution by designing the groundnut oil press. According to Thierno Souleymane Diack “The implementation of the NARF/WAAPP project has
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enabled the dissemination of 10 prototypes of the machine across the groundnut basin (Kaolack, Fatick, Diourbel and Kaffrine). The second phase of WAAPP has supported subsidies for the distribution of about one hundred other machines, covering the region of Thies.” With a built-in mixer, two settling tanks, a transfer pump and filters, this machine enables to fix aflatoxin under the attapulgite, to decant and filter the oil in order to remove the last clay particles and impurity. Thierno Souleymane Diack the designer of the machine said that “the oil thus obtained is
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purified. With this method, the oil is freed of more than 90% of its aflatoxin content. This device is currently widely distributed in the groundnut basin by Ancar and ITA teams who provide training for beneficiaries”. The unit price of the groundnut oil press machine is estimated at 800 000 CFA francs (USD 1,600), with a capacity of about 500 litres of oil per day. According to the designer, “in Senegal, no women group or other structure has such oil extraction capacities”.
AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGIES & INNOVATIONS FAIR
WAAPP- COTE D’IVOIRE
The traditional “Atiéké” is well appreciated WAAPP-Cote d’Ivoire exhibited improved techniques for the manufacturing of ‘Attieke’, a national dish in Cote d’Ivoire. The wide array of products exhibited, ranged from plantain to ‘Attiéké’ and a cooking machine, attracted massive visitors to Cote d’Ivoire’s exhibition stand.
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ôte d’Ivoire also exhibited a range of complementary machines for the preparation of the cassavabased food known as Attiéké. Such innovations sought
to promote agricultural mechanization and to assuage the drudgery endured by producers, especially women, in a bid to improve the quantity and quality of food production in Côte d’Ivoire.
The complementary equipment exhibited include, the banana peeler with capacities to wash and peel 20 kgs of bananas per second, the wringer to squeeze out water from the pulp and, the semolina maker to mill grains into couscous. “This is why we developed these sets of equipment as part of the WAAPP programme coordinated by CORAF/ WECARD”, said Jean Paul Lorng, Deputy Coordinator of WAAPP in Cote d’Ivoire .To date, dozens of women’s associations in Côte d’Ivoire have been equipped with this machine.
WAAPP- BURKINA FASO
The country on the right track for the adoption of technologies on onion drying
Throughout the participation of the delegation from WAAPP Burkina in the Agricultural Technologies and Innovations Fair, the onion drying technology particularly drew the attention of the visitors. “The idea of the onion drying technique came as part of a WAAPP development research project. In fact, it is to help absorb a large part of the onion production because onion storage is a problem. In spite of the existence of
bioclimatic buildings that were set up by others, there is always a conservation problem in Burkina at a certain time of harvest,” explained Mrs. Clarice Dawendé Compaoré, researcher at the Food Technology Department of the
Institute of Research in Applied Science and Technology of Burkina Faso (IRSAT). In fact, Burkina Faso is ranked 4th in onion producing countries in West Africa with an estimated production of 300,000 t/year. The onions are
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AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGIES & INNOVATIONS FAIR
WAAPP- BURKINA FASO
The country on the right track for the adoption of technologies on onion drying maintained: “We take fresh onion, peel, cut into slices or rings, we disinfected and dry it. Now for the drying, we used a gas dryer ATESTA. One can also use solar dryer”. As regards the drying with the salt, she stated: “It is soaked in salted water for 10 minutes and that is the pretreatment. This pre-treatment has the advantage of giving a beautiful colour after drying. Also, this helps to keep the product for a year, as compared to the one that has not been therefore an important source the market is a problem and treated with salt.” The drying of revenue for all players in the Burkina Faso has to import technology offers two products: value chain. However, several onions from Niger and Europe. the natural onion and the dried constraints are linked to the This is not normal. It is within onion with salt. production of onion: poor sales this context that, as the Food To promoted the dissemination and low prices, high decay rate, and Technology Department of this technology, Mrs. Clarice etc. supported by WAAPP, we tried said she had formed nearly 25 “We have a lot of onion and the to develop this onion drying women’s groups on the drying price is very low on the market. technology”, the researcher technology. Two to three months after the continued. harvest, to find local onion in On this process, Mrs. Dawenda
WAAPP BENIN:
The Corn sheller showcased WAAPP Benin stand presented several agricultural equipments food products under WAAPP coordinated by CORAF/WECARD. The equipments presented included: rice steamer, corn sheller, dough roller calibrator for “Yéké-Yéké” and electric yam pounding machine.
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he machines have been designed to reduce the drudgery of women’s work and improve the quality of their products, in order to facilitate their access to the
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market. A rice steamer was presented in several models; a 40-kg capacity model and another of 180 kg costing respectively CFAF 90,000 and CFAF 360,000 (USD 180 and USD 720).
A corn sheller, with a capacity of 1500kg/h and costs CFAF 500,000 (USD 1,000) was also displayed. According to Dr. Roger Ahouansou (Benin), it is currently disseminated across Benin. “Every village needs a
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AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGIES & INNOVATIONS FAIR
The Corn sheller showcased maize cakes called ‘Ablo’ and also the dough roller calibrator. Regarding food products, it is important to note the success of the YékéYéké enriched with cowpea and the one enriched with soy which were appreciated by the visitors during the tasting organized at the location. Concerning couscous, they were presented to the public in the form of yam flour and corn couscous. Finally, for porridge, Benin introduced the ‘Aklui’, made from husked corn.
corn sheller and every home needs an electric yam pounding machine. With neighbouring Nigeria, a major consumer of the tuber”, he said, adding:
“We cannot presently meet the market demand”, stated Dr. Roger Ahouansou. Other equipements displayed were a steam cooker for preparing
WAAPP-TOGO :
The widely-adopted manual seeder
WAAPP-Togo exhibited three technologies including the manual seeder during the West Africa Agricultural Technologies and Innovations Fair in Dakar.
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armers in Togo and in the West African sub-region now have at their disposal a powerful performanceenhancing tool, the KAG manual seeder. As a multi-purpose working tool, the manual seeder is used to sow all kinds of seeds, including cereals (maize, rice, sorghum, millet), legumes (groundnuts, cowpea, soybean, Bambara groundnut, cottonseed) and, for the localized application CORAF ECHO SPECIAL ISSUE / DECEMBER 2015
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FOIRE DES TECHNOLOGIES
WAAPP-TOGO :
The widely-adopted manual seeder
of NPK fertilizer. The KAG manual seeder requires 3 stops to refill the seed tank compared to 14 stops needed to refill the Brazilian seeder, that is to say respectively 15 minutes and 60 minutes. It is more tailored to the needs of farmers insofar as its aluminium frame makes it more robust.
Its variable length of 100-115 cm enables farmers to use it without having to bend down. The builtin pin facilitates seed distribution and prevents the nozzle from getting clogged whatever the type of soil (clay, sand, lowland, etc.) and soil conditions (very wet, wet or dry). The end of its cross-shaped rod allows sowing on tilled soil (flat or ridge)
without treading it or sowing on an unploughed land. The KAG manual seeder can sow one hectare of land in a single work day. It also enables the spacing between the adjustable sowing.. “Almost 2000 manual seeders were made available to producers to enable them to have improved yield”.
WAAPP NIGERIA:
Mobile ponds for aquaculture well adopted basin for aquaculture for raising hundreds of fish.
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ne of the flagship technologies that was highlighted by the delegation from WAAPP Nigeria is linked to aquaculture and its byproducts. Nigeria is considered as the largest African producer of catfish in the world with an estimated production of about 200 tons of fish per year. The fisheries and aquaculture sector aims to increase annual production of fingerlings to 1.25 million tons; 400,000 tons of fish feed and 250,000 tons of fish intended for
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direct consumption. WAAPP Nigeria is in partnership with Teemartins Aquaculture to establish and develop innovation platforms on the aquaculture value chain that aims to provide jobs for young people, by fighting against poverty and improving nutrition in families. The Nigerian delegation presented several innovations, processed food products and others. Among these agricultural technologies and innovations was the mobile
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EmekaIlogalou, the team leader of the innovation platform ON Nigerian Aquaculture stressed that the two parties working together in these innovations are essentially research institutions that generate the technologies and the private sector in charge of the entrepreneurship component. “These structures collaborate to ensure that these technologies can be reproduced, made available to farmers and producers for their adoption”, he explained. In terms of adoption, it is a practice that has become widespread in Nigeria, considering the affordable costs. The largest tank model costs CFAF 180,000 (USD 360) with a production of over 50 kg/week of fish.
FOIRE DES TECHNOLOGIES
PHOTO GALLERY
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PERSPECTIVES OF WAAPP
WRAP-UP OF THE SECTORAL FORUM ON AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY:
CORAF/WECARD appeals for financial support for the 2nd phase of WAAPP The International Conference on Agriculture in West Africa created a platform for the Sector Forum of the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) to adopt a declaration aimed at building the second phase of the program for the scaling-up of the generated technologies and the incorporation of climate change, nutrition and youth employment. A regional partnership pact for the implementation of ECOWAP/CAADP by 2025 was adopted.
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t the end of the international meeting WAAPP established its contribution to the ECOWAS Agricultural Policy. The sector forum noted the progress made by the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF/WECARD) on technology transfer, regional integration, the establishment of regional centres of excellence, sustainable financing mechanisms and gender mainstreaming.
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CORAF/WECARD revisited a number of challenges to be taken up including the scaling-up of the generated technologies, using them to create jobs for the youth, sustainable funding for research, harmonization of the status of the researcher and the university lecturers, climatesmartagriculture and regulation on seeds. The recommendations made at the closing of the forum challenged ECOWAS to make
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the second phase of the WAAPP a flagship program to better promote the generated technologies and take into account emerging issues such as nutrition, youth employment and climate change, financial partners were urged to continue their funding. The World Bank, Japan, Spain and other partners were encouraged to join ECOWAS to consolidate the gains. The setting up of innovative funding mechanisms, like that
PERSPECTIVES OF WAAPP
of the Inter-Professional Fund for Agricultural Consulting and Research (FIRCA) of Cote d’Ivoire, promotion of seed regulations, continuation of support from ECOWAS, UEMOA (Economic and Monetary Union of West Africa), the Permanent InterState Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS) and the IFDC (International Fertilizer Development Center) to CORAF/WECARD were also recommended.
promoted at the regional level. Also, fish products as well as fruits and vegetables will be considered as regional strategic products for which strong initiatives must be taken, like what is done for rice. The milk value chain will also be given special consideration.
a single agricultural policy for West Africa is necessary. To do this, the West African region will have to rethink and accelerate the implementation of the regional market regulation instruments, and also ensure the management of major crises, funding of the agricultural sector and establish The forum asked ECOWAS to an information decision support put in place a mechanism to system. Reflecting on the main facilitate cooperation in the features of the agricultural field of research, negotiation sector in West Africa, the and industrialization among document explained that it member states and stakeholders forms the basis of the economy In the same vein, it was on products that are strategic and many social issues. requested that support must at the national level. Thus, be given to the dynamics of the the regional integration of regional centers, an agricultural the production and trade of technology/innovation fair livestock and meat, adopting must be institutionalized sustainable intervention routes and the enhancement of adapted to the diversity of technologies and innovation ecosystems and the promotion promoted by the private sector. of value chains were retained To overcome hunger in West as sector priorities. Africa, WAAPP has identified a number of strategic products For a coordination of initiatives such as rice, cassava, corn and efficient management of and animal products to be human and financial resources, CORAF ECHO SPECIAL ISSUE / DECEMBER 2015
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INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON AGRICULTURE IN WEST AFRICA (Dakar, Senegal, November 17-19,2015)
Declaration of the WAAPP Sectoral Forum We, Member States of ECOWAS, Actors of WAAPP We, beneficiaries and key partners of WAAPP (ROPPA, APESS, RBM, RECAO, AFAO), and representatives of the private (AAFEX, INTERFACE), We, Scientific partners (CORAF/WECARD, ICRISAT, IITA, AFRICARICE, CILSS, AGRA, IFDC, FAO, FARA, Hub Rural) We, Group of technical and financial partners of ECOWAP At the WAAPP Sectoral Forum during the International Conference on Agriculture in Dakar, Senegal from November 17 – 19, 2015 Based on the achievements presented during sectoral forum, the participants expressed their satisfaction about the progress accomplished by CORAF /WECARD and the member states, notably : (i) the number and quality of producers demand -driven technologies developed by the National Centers of Specialization (ii) the kick starting of the dynamic of regional integration through exchanges of technologies innovation and expertise among countries (iii) the emerging of national centers of specialization towards regional centers of excellence (iv) the implementation of common seed regulations in ECOWAS countries (v) the development innovative mechanism for sustainable financing of agricultural research and advisory services (vi) the inclusion of gender issues in the activities of WAAPP progammes. Despite commendable achievement many challenges remain, namely (i) the scaling out of the technologies generated, taking into account the utilization of job creation for the youths (ii) the sustainable financing of research and advisory (iii) the harmonization of status of researchers with the one of the universities faculties and the motivation mechanism retain researchers in national research centers (iv) the inclusion of the emerging issues such as climate change and nutrition and (v) the fast tracking of the implementation of the harmonization of regional seed regulation, pesticides and fertilizers
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INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON AGRICULTURE IN WEST AFRICA
Declaration of the WAAPP Sectoral Forum Based on the foregoing achievements and challenges, the participants of the forum on the WAAPP recommend: To ECOWAS Commission and Member States 1. The establishment of the WAAPP Programme as the flagship programme of of the second phase of ECOWAP for the scaling out of the technologies generated and the inclusion of emerging issues (Climate Change, Nutrition, women, youth employment and empowerment) 2. Solicit from the group of financial partners (World Bank, Japan and Spain) the continuation of the funding of second phase of the 10 countries where the first phase is coming to an end in June 2016 and the inclusion of Cabo Verde and Guinea Bissau in the progamme 3. Invite new partners to join the group of the WAAPP financial partners for the consolidation of the programme achievements. 4. Put in place innovative mechanisms for sustainable financing of research and advisory services inspire by FIRCA in Cote d’lvoire taking into account experiences and good practices within the counties 5. Promote under the guidance of ECOWAS a regional regulation on the status of researchers and universities faculties at country level. 6. The continuation of the support provided by ECOWAS, WEAMU, CILLSS, CORAF/WECARD IFDC to countries that lagging behind in the implementation of the harmonized regional seed regulation, pesticides and fertilizers, in order to create enabling environment for regional trade of key agricultural inputs. 7. Support the dynamic of the establishment of regional center of excellence with modern research equipment 8. Institutionalize technology / innovation fairs to be organized every two years under the auspices of ECOWAS, WEAMU, CILSS by CORAF /WECARD to contribute to the dissemination of technology 9. Create enabling environment for enhance utilization of technologies and innovation by the private sector. Dakar, Senegal, November 19, 2015
The Participants of the Forum CORAF ECHO SPECIAL ISSUE / DECEMBER 2015
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AWARD / BEST INNOVATION PLATEFORM
10 YEARS OF THE ECOWAS AGRICULTURAL POLICY:
CORAF/WECARD rewards the 4 best innovation platforms in West Africa Among the many benefits from the International Conference on Agriculture in West Africa, CORAF/ WECARD rewarded the 4 best innovation platforms coming from Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Niger and Senegal. It was the opportunity to promote successful experiences and lessons learned from the implementation of the innovation platform approach in the sustainable improvement of productivity, competitiveness and markets of the agricultural system in West Africa.
Award ceremony for «Local Milk» innovation platform of Niamey represented by Seydou Mariama Altine, Deputy Coordinator of WAAPP Niger
B
ased on very specific criteria, the Cowpea Innovation Platform of the Namenzanga Provincial Women’s Union (UPFN) of Bam, Burkina Faso was awarded in the A s s o c i a t i o n / O rga n i za t i o n Category; the Cassava Innovation Platform of Bouake, Cote d’Ivoire received an award in the “Producer” Category; the Local Milk Innovation Platform from the region of Niamey, Niger was awarded for the
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“Processor” Category and the Local Milk Innovation Platform of the Kaolack Region (PAFILKA) Senegal, was awarded for the “Researcher” Category. CORAF/WECARD made this call for competition from ongoing innovation platforms in West Africa to promote best practices in the use of value chain approaches and innovation platforms. “CORAF/ WECARD considers innovation platforms as essential tools
CORAF ECHO SPECIAL ISSUE / DECEMBER 2015
for implementation by the various components of national agricultural research systems of regional projects that it coordinates in order to meet the specific challenges of the agricultural sector. These platforms offer a framework for exchange and learning between actors that facilitate the generation of results, their dissemination and adoption”, stated Dr. Paco Sereme at the official awards ceremony.
AWARD / BEST INNOVATION PLATEFORM For Ms. Mariama Seydou Altine, Deputy Coordinator of WAAPP Niger “it is a great pride and satisfaction for Niger regarding the efforts of the local milk innovation platform Niamey in milk processing and dairy products marketing. We will continue to innovate in terms of productivity and competitiveness in the innovation platforms that take into account the entire milk value chain.
coordinator of WAAPP Côte d’Ivoire.
dissemination and appropriate sharing of the innovations.
Innovation platforms created within the framework of the implementation of projects coordinated by CORAF/WECARD are spread throughout the region of West and Central Africa, and meet the challenges in the various agricultural sub-sectors such The innovation platforms as livestock (milk, meat, animal awarded were urged to focus health), agriculture, food crops more on processes that will and non-food crops, natural «This award pays tribute to all ensure the necessary and resource management, policies producers and all stakeholders continual innovation of value and markets. They demonstrate in Bouake cassava innovation chains at the technological the levels of functionality and platform. Their hard work and and institutional level and the ability to generate different documentation of results. innovation were rewarded» the said Jean-Paul LORNG, deputy these processes for better The evaluation of application files was done by researchers from institutions of research and development: ICRISAT, University of Abomey-Calavi and the GRAD Consulting Group. The case studies selected will be used for training purposes.
Official award ceremony of best innovation platforms respectively from Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and Niger Senegal
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INTERVIEW
CONTRIBUTION OF CORAF/WECARD TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ECOWAP
Dr PACO SEREME, Executive Director of CORAF/WECARD Following the International Conference on Agriculture organized by ECOWAS from 17 to 19 November 2015 in Dakar (Senegal) as part of the celebration of 10 years of the ECOWAS Agricultural Policy, Dr Paco SEREME, Executive Director of CORAF / WECARD highlights the contribution of the institution to the transformation of agriculture in West Africa. Dr Paco SEREME, Executif Director of CORAF/WECARD
1. Upon completion of the International Conference on the transformation of agriculture in West Africa as part of the 10th anniversary of the ECOWAS Agricultural Policy, what are the key successes and lessons learned? CORAF/WECARD commends the strong mobilization in support of this event especially from key ECOWAS partners and all ECOWAS member states demonstrate the commitment and interest of the subregion on issues pertaining to agriculture. The other major achievement of this international conference on agriculture was the organization of side events including the sectoral forum on the Regional Rice Offensive
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Project where reflections were conducted to pool efforts on the development of a strategy to achieve food self-sufficiency. As part of the sectoral forum on agricultural productivity in West Africa organized by the CORAF/WECARD, the various stakeholders reviewed initiatives in the field and the 13 participating countries exhibited and showcased WAAPP’s great capacities and achievements in terms of technology generation and regional integration in the sharing of these technologies during the Technology and Agricultural Innovations’ Fair.
this policy was the creation of enabling conditions for the promotion of agriculture through the adoption and especially the harmonization of key regulations, such as the seeds regulations adopted for the entire sub-region. This is particularly reflected in one of the major component of the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme steered by CORAF/WECARD: creating favourable conditions for regional cooperation between stakeholders in agriculture.
3. In the light of the 2. What are the major evaluation of the 10 years achievements of the 10 years of of ECOWAP, what are the implementation of the ECOWAS prospects for 2025? Common Agricultural Policy The evaluation of the first (ECOWAP)? decade of the ECOWAS The greatest achievement of
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INTERVIEW Common Agricultural Policy as presented at the conference revealed down-beat assessments with respect to policymakers’ commitment to budget allocation for the sector of agriculture. At national level, the Member States have made significant efforts but at the regional level, the programme has not benefitted from sufficient resources to meet the targeted goals. This portends huge challenges for the next 10 years. In this respect, reflections were conducted in order to better mobilize resources, especially through endogenous financing. New challenges have also given rise to global priorities such as nutrition, climate-smart agriculture, the management of natural resources, and youth employment; and national and regional policies will duly reflect the new 2025 agenda.
4. What are the challenges facing West Africa in terms of agricultural research and human capital needed for an agricultural transformation? Research is the “sickly child” of the sector of agriculture. The Maputo Agreement ratified by the countries and which stipulates that countries allocate at least 10% of their national budgets to agriculture is not respected in most countries. The human capital of the agricultural research sector is ageing. The average age of researchers is 55 years which raises the thorny issue of the paucity of succession plans. The other challenge is that
research sector is dependent on development aid provided by Technical and Financial Partners. Consequently, this has led CORAF/WECARD to look into a sustainable funding model for research in West and Central Africa. These challenges were submitted to policymakers by way of recommendations to mainstream them into the regional agricultural policy. .
5. By contributing to ECOWAP, the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) developed by CORAF/ WECARD appears as in innovative financing model. What are the main results achieved by this programme and what are the key success factors? The initial objective of WAAPP is to create favourable conditions for the promotion of regional cooperation in the field of agricultural research, to create and disseminate demanddriven technologies and to build the capacities of research institutions on priority sectors of the subregion. And rightly so, the issue of sustainable funding for research is at the heart of WAAPP activities wherein we have been striving to promote success stories of endogenous resource mobilization models at country level. In terms of improved seeds and equipment, WAAPP has supported the implementation of regional seed regulations based on strengthening
national seed regulations to facilitate producers access to seeds in the sub-region. Technology development and transfer within the sub-region is one of the key successes of WAAPP insofar as they have been adopted by farmers and other beneficiaries through the innovation platforms. WAAPP had the merit of initiating efforts to take over research through the development of the capacities of research staff. Nearly a thousand young researchers have been trained to date. From a socio-economic perspective at the regional level, WAAPP has yielded a 34 % increase in the incomes of direct beneficiaries of the project, thereby reducing the lean periods and improving the quality of nutrition with an increase in calorie intake from 2777 kcal to 2964 kcal.
6. Platforms of innovation were also celebrated at the International Conference on Agriculture. Why such a concept? CORAF/WECARD adopted the concept of Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D) which builds on Innovation Platforms (IP) in agricultural value chains. This concept has the merit of promoting collaboration between researchers, extension agents and the producer and all other stakeholders such as processors and traders involved throughout the agricultural value chain. The existence of these platforms of innovation enables to diagnose problems,
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INTERVIEW explore opportunities and to seek solutions. These different social and economic actors of the platforms of innovation are encouraged to carry out necessary changes by honing their skills and competences.
7. What is CORAF/WECARD’s strategy to facilitate access to all the technologies and agricultural innovations for vulnerable groups such as women and youth? The mission of the innovation platforms include the promotion of gendersensitivity. This enables greater participation of women and youth for a better consideration of their needs in order to make the agricultural sector more attractive to young people, CORAF/WECARD has initiated a socio-economic assessment of agricultural technologies and innovations generated in a bid to keep young people apprised of economic opportunities associated with available technologies.
8. What are CORAF/ WECARD’s priority areas for the next five years? CORAF/WECARD in the process of implementing its Second Operational Plan (OP 2) for the period 2014-2018. The OP2 takes into account new emerging issues such as nutrition and climate-smart agriculture. But the overarching goal of CORAF/WECARD is to establish a sustainable funding framework for agricultural research tapping into homegrown resources. Over the next five years, priority will be given to Central Africa in order to strengthen cooperation with the Economic Community of Central African States. This will enable both regions to pool their efforts.
CORAF/WECARD also facilitates the development of agribusiness incubators for youth in the subregion. Similarly, our national centres of specialization are expected to develop into regional centre of excellence within the framework of the WAAPP, which will also provide a framework for start-up business incubation to facilitate the uptake of technologies generated.
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Monthly Bulletin of the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development
Director of publication
Dr Alioune FALL Director of Edition
Dr Paco SEREME Deputy Director of Edition
Dr Aboubakar NJOYA Editor-in-Chief
Dr Anatole Yékéminan KONE Editing and Reading Committee
Info/Com Department Lola AKOMATSRI Dr Anatole Yékéminan KONE Layout
Lola AKOMATSRI Online publication
Oulèye ANNE
French version available
Coraf/Wecard, BP 48 Dakar CP 18523, Sénégal Tél. : (221) 33 869 96 18 infocom@coraf.org Website : www.coraf.org