Monthly Bulletin of the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development
Number N°28 (August – September 2011)
MDTF :
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a technical workshop brought together the stakeholders and partners in Dakar
n August 4, 2011 a technical workshop was held at CORAF / WECARD Headquarters in Dakar, for information sharing and discussion on the fiduciary aspects and mechanisms for the implementation of CORAF / WECARD Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) .
CORAF / WECARD fiduciary staff and program managers as well as the specialists from the World Bank, shared the information necessary for the implementation of the Fund in connection with the procurement, monitoring and evaluation and financial management. It is important to note that the MDTF of CORAF / WECARD is supplied by two currently important partners, the European Commission and CIDA. This mechanism was adopted by CORAF / WECARD to financially support the implementation of its Operational Plan 2008-2013. The MDTF whose implementation has been slow, will be finally operational before the end of 2011. The workshop was useful to agree on the mechanisms to manage the fund before its official launching; scheduled for September 2011.
The effectiveness of CORAF / WECARD’s MDTF will allow an efficient implementation of the Operational Plan 2008-2013
Non-Staple Crops Program :
Support to NARS :
research priorities validated
financial monitoring mission in Cameroon
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he stakeholders and partners of CORAF/ WECARD met from 1 - 3 August 2011 in Dakar to identify and validate the research priorities of non-staple crops in West and Central Africa.
During three days they reviewed the major constraints and took stock of research findings before identifying and ranking the research priorities of non-food crops. They also approved the strategy for implementing the programme which aims to achieve sustainable improvements in productivity, competitiveness and markets for industrial crops, cash crops, horticultural crops and emerging crops.p
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s part of NARS capacity building in CORAF projects financial management , the Director of Administration and Finance recently went to Cameroon to meet the fiduciary staff of the Institute of Agricultural Research for Development, IRAD in Cameroon .
Stakeholders and partners validated the research priorities of non-food crops in West and Central Africa
For three days, the DAF helped accountants prepare the financial report of the DONATA project and allow the resumption of transfer of funds in Cameroon; he analyzed the fiduciary management system set up by IRAD authorities to ensure the quality and consistency of the financial reports under the financing agreements for the implementation of the projects.p
PPAAO/WAAPP :
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Reflection on the improvement of programme activities
rom 25 - 28 July 2011 in Dakar, PPAAO / WAAPP actors and partners gathered to discuss improved implementation of activities related to the mobility of researchers, to national centers of specialization, to the competitive regional Fund and to the transfer of technologies between countries. Representatives from 13 PPAAO / WAAPP countries and their partners shared information on the successful implementation of the programme. Since its launch in 2008, PPAAO / WAAPP
Reflections have led to concrete proposals for the smooth running of PPAAO / WAAPP
recorded satisfactory results. However, the last supervision mission conducted in March 2011 identified several constraints that hamper the efficient production of expected results from this first phase which ends in June 2012. During the meeting, difficulties related to the mobility of researchers, to the national centres of specialization, to the competitive regional fund and to technology transfer were identified. Sustainable solutions have been proposed by the participants
PPAAO/WAAPP :
PPAAO/WAAPP :
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experts reflect on a reference framework for a policy on the food processing of agricultural products
communication strategy reviewed
pecialists on agricultural processing issues in West and Central Africa met, at Saly in Senegal from 11 - 13 July 2011 to diagnose the processing systems implemented in different countries and identify the constraints, the opportunities, the strengths and the threats. to the information will be used to develop a reference framework for a regional policy regarding the food processing of agricultural products.
WAAPP Communication experts exchanged views on the Program visibility
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rom 19 - 22 July 2011, a technical workshop was held in Cotonou on the review of PPAAO / WAAPP Regional Communication Strategy and for the capacity building of communication specialists.
The discussions were fruitful and helped gather information that could help design the guide
The initiative of CORAF /WECARD to organize, in partnership with the member institutions of the NARS, a sub-regional workshop on the policies and strategies for agri-food processing in West and Central Africa aimed at creating a dynamic across the sub-region. This dynamic could also be replicated in other economic integration areas of the continent to propel Africa towards the global leadership in the field of food processing. These policies and strategies, however, must be guided by a regional strategy that takes into account the new challenges of economic globalization, and the increasing consumers’ demands. They must also take into account aspects as diverse as the insertion of the activity in the environment, the food safety, the origin, the nutritional quality of the products and the ethics of production, processing and conservation
The communications specialists from 13 countries benefiting from the WAAPP 1A, 1B, 1C, namely, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Mali, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Benin, Guinea Conakry, Togo were trained on techniques for developing a strategy and an action plan in communication. During three days, they understood the objectives and communication aspects of PPAAO / WAAPP, they reformulated and validated four new objectives or pillars of PPAAO / WAAPP communication strategy . The new pillars of the strategy are:
accelerating the adoption of improved technologies (through the communication o behavior change);
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l strengthening the reputation of WAAPP, of CORAF, of CNS as providers of quality information and technology in agricultural research and development; l
Monitoring and Evaluation :
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ECOWAP monitoring and evaluation framework shared
rom 4 to 8 July 2011 in LomĂŠ, ECOWAS monitoring and evaluation specialists shared ECOWAS monitoring and evaluation framework for the Common Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP) with all the stakeholders and partners in the sub-region.
During the meeting, the participants discussed the contents of ECOWAP for monitoring and evaluation framework developed by experts. The CAADP monitoring and evalua-
tion indicators and the other indicators related to poverty, food security, malnutrition and to the performance of the agricultural sector were discussed, reviewed and validated by the participants. The methodologies for data collection and analysis were reviewed, updated and harmonized. Dr. Georges Muluh responsible for planning represented CORAF / WECARD at the meeting.
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developing regional cooperation;
providing CORAF / WECARD and the countries with the capabilities enabling them to perform complex communication tasks.
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It was noted the need to coordinate communication with other operational aspects of WAAPP and with other relevant institutions such as extension services, research institutions, processors. The communication specialists learnt how to write short articles for the information bulletins, and how to post them on the web site and in the new media, whose importance was explained to them.p
Livestock : ECOWAS involved in the project for the promotion of strategic agricultural products’ value chains
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he United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) initiated a project on the development and promotion of the strategic food products’ value chains in Africa. Stakeholders and project partners met in Ouagadougou to discuss the ways to implement this project in West Africa.
The project aims to build the capacity of African policy makers and other stakeholders in the agricultural policy and formulation, and in the implementation of the regulatory framework to develop and promote the regional value chains of the strategic food products . They will have tools, mechanisms and best practices to evaluate the performance of ongoing interventions in the prospect of making the necessary adjustments to improve and catalyze the process. The approach of the project consists of pilot action in the two regional economic communities (RECs), COMESAand ECOWAS, focusing on three (3) strategic food products (livestock, meat, maize and rice) identified at Abuja Summit in 2006. During the meeting, the experts confirmed the level of commitment of ECOWAS and other key institutions in the region for the successful implementation of the project. They shared with the players representing the segments of the value chains of the agricultural products and finally they developed a roadmap for the implementation of the major project activities
Dr. Hamadeh Kagoné, Program Manager Livestock, Fisheries and Aquaculture represented CORAF at this important meeting.p
AFRICARICE-CORAF/WECARD :
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the two organizations strengthen their cooperation
he Executive Director and and the Food crops Program Manager of CORAF / WECARD had a working visit on 1 July 2011 at the Regional Headquarters of Rice Center for Africa (Africa Rice) in the Sahelian zone in Saint Louis, Senegal.
The regional station of Saint Louis is a giant laboratory for rice development for the benefit of scientists from West and Central Africa
This technical visit to the staff of Africa Rice’s regional station aimed at strengthening the partnership between CORAF / WECARD and Rice Africa on the one hand, and the collaboration with the regional station for the generation and dissemination of improved rice technologies in the sub-region, on the other hand. Dr Vincent Bado, Regional Director of AfricaRice and Dr. Paco Sérémé, Executive Director of CORAF / WECARD also addressed the issues of the the capacity building of stakeholders and researchers in the areas of seed production, post harvest issues, gender , marketing and variety improvement.
The delegation of CORAF / WECARD made a field visit which allowed them to see the enormous potential offered by the station for rice development in West Africa and Central Africa.p
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Capacity building : training of trainers on the integrated management of pests and pesticides
n order to ensure better management of pests and pesticides in West Africa, CORAF / WECARD organized a training workshop for trainers from 23 to 24 June 2011 in Accra.
This was to sensitize learners on the main risks associated with pesticides, on USAID rules on pesticides, on banned pesticides and on best practices in pesticides management . The training also insisted on the technical analysis of information on pests and pesticides, the control of a field of fruit and vegetables or the establishment of a plot, and the implementation of mitigation measures recommended in the documents to protect the environment.
This training was provided by Prof. Abdourahamane Sangare, Dr. Abdulai Jalloh and Dr. Ernest Asiedu Asah, all three are CORAF / WECARD program managers .p
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Cotton :
Training :
a pan-African meeting for the development of the crop
information systems and management tools for animal breeding in Southern countries
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he city of Cotonou hosted a pan-African meeting on cotton for the development of this crop from 26 to 29 June 2011.
The pan-African meeting on cotton is a response to the request made by African cotton producers at the multi-stakeholder meeting on cotton, organized by the Secretary General of UNCTAD in Geneva, on December 2, 2008. At this first meeting, African countries asked UNCTAD to bring together all the players in the cotton industry in order to discuss the solutions to the challenges the African countries depending on cotton exports are facing. The Government of Benin offered to host this second meeting.
During one week in Cotonou, the participants identified the broad lines of a roadmap for the cotton sector in Africa over the next ten years. This roadmap should take into account existing national and regional strategies for the cotton sector, and the Framework for Action of the EU-Africa Cotton.
This event was initiated by UNCTAD in partnership with the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC), the Committee for the Orientation and Monitoring of EU-Africa Partnership on Cotton (COS-Cotton) and the
Secretariat of the group of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States. CORAF / WECARD attended through its program manager for non-food crops, Dr Ousmane Ndoye.p
Cotton, the main cash crop in West and Central Africa , is the basis of the economy of several countries
PPAAO/WAAPP : an action plan for the implementation of gender policy was developed
The West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development’s Monthly Bulletin Director of publication Pr Yusuf ABUBAKAR
Director of Edition Paco Sérémé
Editor-in-Chief
From July 19 - 20, 2011 in Conakry, stakeholders and partners of CORAF /WECARD met to develop the action plan to help implement the gender strategy of CORAF / WECARD. For two days they reviewed the main lines of the gender strategy and policy to identify the main activities to be included in the action plan.p
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rom July 11 to 13, Dr. Hamadé Kagoné, Program Manager for Livestock, Fisheries and Aquaculture attended training on information systems and management tools for livestock in Southern countries.
The training organized by CIRAD and INRA focused on: (i) the role of information in decision making, (ii) the statistical data and the technico-economic reference indicators , (iii) the management aiding tools for the livestock sector, (iv) the markets’ observatories and the management tools for livestock sectors, (v) the management aiding tools for local development, (vi) the tools for epidemiological alert and health watch, (vii) the warning systems on food security, (viii) the observatories of the viability of rural households, (ix) and the tools for assessing the sustainability of livestock activities worldwide. The representative of CORAF / WECARD made an informal presentation (oral communication) on the information needs by the actors in the region, focusing on : (i) the information needs by re-gional economic communities (eg ECOWAS / cf Livestock Action Plan), by inter-governmental institutions (CILSS / Cross border livestock markets and cattle SIM), by farmers professional organizations (eg Net-work Billital Maroobé / Observatory on crossborder transhumance), (ii) and CORAF / WECARD research priorities in the area of animal husbandry.p
Anatole Yékéminan Koné
Editing and Reading Committee Department Info/Com
Layout
Alassane DIA
Online publication
Gorgui Alioune Mbow
A French version is available
CORAF/WECARD, BP 48 Dakar RP CP 18523, Sénégal Tél. : (221) 33 869 96 18 Fax : (221) 33 869 96 31 E-mail : paco.sereme@coraf.org anatole.kone@coraf.org Internet : www.coraf.org
Meetings organized by CORAF / WECARD
12 to 13 September 2011, Dakar. Retreat of the Executive Secretariat for the development of the Work Plan and Budget for the year 2012.
August 4, 2011, Dakar. Technical workshop to discuss MDTF fiduciary aspects and functioning mechanisms. 1 to 3 August 2011, Dakar. Regional workshop for the validation of the baseline study and for the determination of the research priorities for non-food crops in WCA.
Meetings organized by Partners
22 to 23 September 2011 Banjul, Gambia. 28th Ordinary Session of AfricaRice’s Council of Ministers.
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