Monthly Bulletin of the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development
Number 33 (JULY 2012)
Governing Board :
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Dr Ibet Outhman Issa received duties from his predecessor
r Ibet OUTHMAN Issa, the Director General of Chad’s Agricultural Research Institute for Development (ITRAD) was officially appointed Chairman of the Association through the resolution N°7 of CORAF/WECARD’s tenth General Assembly organized from 18th through 19th of May, 2012 in Ndjamena, Republic of Chad. Dr Ibet OUTHMAN Issa previously sat on the Governing Board as Vice-Chairman from May 2010 to June 2012. He officially received duties from his predecessor Prof. Yusuf B. ABUBAKAR, the Executive Secretary of ARCNNigeria, who chaired to the destiny of the Governing Board of the Association from February 2010 to June 2012 after having previously been the Vice-Chairman of this body from June 2008 to January 2010. The ceremony took place on 28th June, 2012, at CORAF/ WECARD’s headquarters, in Dakar, in the presence of the other members of the Governing Board, Development and Scientific Partners, and the staff of the Executive The two chairmen Prof Yusuf Abubakar (on the left) and Dr Ibet Outhman Issa exchanging Secretariat.p the minutes after their signing
Executive Direction :
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Dr Harold ROY-MACAULEY received duties from the outgoing Executive Director, Dr Paco Sérémé
r Harold Roy-Macauley, the new Executive Director, was selected in December 2011 following a transparent and competitive recruitment process conducted by the Governing Board, and the General Assembly, at its last session held from 18th to 19th May in Ndjamena, in Chad, approved this selection. On 28th June, 2012, the handing over ceremony between the two Executive Directors took place in the presence of the other members of the Governing Board, Development and Scientific partners and the staff of the Executive Secretariat. Dr Harold Roy-Macauley thanked all CORAF/WECARD’s family for having trusted him for this position. He promised to further the work of institutional governance strengthening initiated by his predecessor. In order to implement one of the resolutions of the last General Assembly, the conference hall of CORAF/ WECARD’s Executive Secretariat was named after Dr Paco Sérémé in recognition of the progress achieved by the outgoing Executive Director for the development of CORAF/ WECARD.p
Dr Paco SEREME (on the left) and Dr Harold ROY-MACAULEY exchanged the Minutes of the handing over in good atmosphere.
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PPAAO/WAAPP Bénin : Stakeholders’ Capacity Strengthened in Monitoring and Evaluation and Communication
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rom 18th to 20th June, 2012, the National Coordination of the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme for Benin organized a national capacity strengthening workshop in Monitoring and Evaluation and in Communication with CORAF/WECARD support in order to equip the stakeholders and partners with the necessary techniques for the successful implementation of the programme in Benin. CORAF/WECARD’s trainers, Dr Vincent Mama, a specialist in Monitoring and Evaluation, and Dr Anatole Koné, a specialist in communication for agricultural development presented the program and CORAF/WECARD’s role in this initiative. With regard to Monitoring and Evaluation, the stakeholders responsible for this activity were informed on the Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanism that is used in the framework of this Programme, they were informed on some of the tools they will have to use for Data Management and Collection, the reporting system was explained to them and the TORs for the study were reviewed. Scoping with regard to information and communication, WAAPP Communication Strategy was shared with the communication specialists, the mechanism implemented for the management of information and communication was explained to them. The trainees were taught the techniques for the development of a communication plan and for information collection and formatting (writing). Roadmaps have been developed and will be implemented under the supervision of Mrs Virginie Miguel, the Manager of WAAPP – Benin. It is worth recalling that WAAPP Benin is part of the Program in Support of Agricultural Diversification (ProCAD) managed by Mr Capochichi.p
Short Biography of the New E.D : Dr Harold Roy-Macauley
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r Harold Roy-Macauley was CORAF/WECARD’s Director of Programs from July 2009 to June 2012. Before CORAF/WECARD, Harold worked for the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), initially undertaking the role as Regional Coordinator, West and Central Africa, in April 2006, after which he relocated to Guinea in January 2009 to take up the position of ICRAF Representative in the Upper Guinea Node for West Africa, overseeing research and development activities, notably in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire. Before joining ICRAF, he lectured plant physiology at the University of Sierra Leone.
He was seconded in 1995 to the ‘Centre d’Etude Régional pour l’Amélioration de l’Adaptation à la Sécheresse (CERAAS)’, in Senegal, a Research and Training base-centre of the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development, where he was responsible for developing and coordinating scientific activities in biochemistry and molecular physiology. He was appointed Scientific Director and Assistant Managing Director of CERAAS in 1996, and Managing Director, in 1997. He occupied this position till 2004. Between 2004 and 2006, he served as consultant for various agencies, regional and international fora on biosafety and biotechnology. He has been a member of the Steering Committee of the NEPAD/African Biosciences Initiative - Biosciences Eastern and Central Africa (BeCA); the Interim Implementing Committee of the FARA-led Initiative on Building African Scientific and Institutional Capacity (BASIC) in Agriculture; the International Foundation for Science (IFS) Crop Science Advisory Committee (Project evaluation and resource provision). His area of expertise mainly focuses on plant biodiversity improvement and agricultural development especially in West Africa. p
ECOWAS-UEMOA :
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Experts reflect on food security in West Africa
rom 7th to 8th June, 2012, the togolese capital city, Lome, welcomed experts of agricultural issues to reflect on food security in West Africa. This meeting organized by ECOWAS, UEMOA and CILSS enabled the experts to identify the major constraints to agricultural development in West Africa that represent a real threat to food security. They made concrete proposals for the improvement of productivity, competitiveness and agricultural markets in West Africa. These proposals have been submitted to the Heads of States and of Governments so that they take them into account in their management of agricultural issues. CORAF/WECARD was represented by its Executive Director at this subregional meeting.p
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AUSAID-CSIRO-CORAF/WECARD Partnership :
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the reviewers exchange with CORAF/WECARD’s staff
he Australian Government through its food security initiative in Africa supports the implementation of CAADP Pillar 4 that deals with agricultural research and technology dissemination and adoption. The CSIRO, an Australian Research Organization, was mandated by AUSAID to build partnerships with African institutions to support CAADP’s Pillar 4. It is in this framework that CSIRO has established a partnership with CORAF/ WECARD since 2010. To date, there are 6 research projects that are being implemented in order to improve productivity, competi-
tiveness and agricultural markets in West and Central Africa.
stakeholders and partners from 21st to 29th June 2012.
This team that comprises Andy Hall, Howard Elliot, Ian Kershaw, Tristan Armstrong that were accompanied by Bruce Pengelly from CSIRO exchanged with the staff of the Executive Secretariat involved in the implementation of the activities before going to Burkina Faso and Ghana to meet the other
In view of the numerous points of satisfaction, the financial partner, AUSAID, agreed to fund the second phase of this partnership in order to contribute to food security in West and Central Africa.p
After 18 months of implementation of this partnership, AUSAID commissioned a team of evaluators to review the activities and the results that have been achieved.
During the synthesis meeting held in Accra on 2nd July 2012 in which the Executive Director, Dr Harold ROY-MACAULEY, participated, the strengths and the points of improvement of the partnership were raised.
ITC :
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A Regional Meeting for the Development of the 2013 – 2023 Strategic Plan s a research Centre by excellence on the issues of animal development in subhumid and humid regions, ITC has been lethargic since 2005.
Experts of animal development issues were convened for the development of a ten-year Strategic Plan (2013 – 2023) aimed at relaunching its activities. This was from 6th to 8th June 2012 in The Gambia.
During three days, they exchanged on the strengths, tendencies, opportunities and challenges of livestock in West Africa. The Centre’s priority thematic areas were defined. The key factors that should give the direction and contents of ITC’s activities were defined.
Dr Hamadé Kagoné, CORAF/WECARD’s Manager of the Livestock, Fisheries and Aquaculture Program, represented the institution at this regional meeting.p
The relaunch of ITC’s activities for the development of livestock will be conducted through 2013 – 2023 Strategic Plan.
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PPAAO/WAAPP :
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Exchanges on the Program’s Communication Activities
rom 2nd to 5th July, 2012, Mr Masud Mozammel, the World Bank’s Communication Manager in charge of WAAPP’s communication activities conducted a support and supervision mission to CORAF/WECARD’s Executive Secretariat and WAAPP-Senegal to exchange on the progress in the implementation of WAAPP’s Communication Strategy at the regional level and at the level of Senegal. During three days of exchange, the regional and national communication plans, WAAPP’s
regional portal were reviewed; the same for the database collection and management system; CORAF/WECARD’s computing system that should serve as a Hub in the framework of the WAAPP was also reviewed. The activities that should be conducted by the Communication Agency to be recruited were also identified, WAAPP Senegal communication activities were reviewed and a field visit, in the framework of WAAPP Senegal, was conducted in Mboro.p
Research and Training in Partnership :
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The Mounting of the System at the center of the Workshop
rom 18th to 20th June, 2012, the CIRAD convened its partners to reflect on the implementation of platforms for research and training in partnership with the view to better exchange on their experiences.
Since more than one year, CIRAD’s partners have been considering the possibility of creating Platforms for Research and Training in Partnership (DREP) called “Système d’Information Spatialisé, Territoires et Observatoires en Afrique de l’Ouest” [Spatialized Information System, Lands and Observatories in West Africa (SISTO)]. The aim of this system is to observe the effects of public policies in the field of food security, mainly, the ones related to agriculture (in the broad sense and including livestock, agroforestry, fish farming) and environment. The DREP is interested in climate change and sustainable development issues in a very changing land context. DREP’s research issues aim to organize and disseminate « useful, usable and used » information.
The workshop which convened the first partners in Ouagadougou facilitated the development of the bases of this system. Dr Mbène Dièye Faye, the Manager of the Policy, Markets and Trade Program, represented CORAF/WECARD at this meeting.p
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Tribute to the Incoming and Outgoing Chairmen and Executive Directors :
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n 28th June, 2012, in the evening, a dinner was offered in the honor of the outgoing and incoming Chairmen and Executive Directors. Some pictures of this dinner that had been marked by touching testimonies.p
Tribute to the Incoming and Outgoing Chairmen and Executive Directors : Some key pictures
The West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development’s Monthly Bulletin Director of publication Dr Ibet OUTHMAN ISSA
Director of Edition
Dr Harold ROY-MACAULEY
Editor-in-Chief
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
From 2nd July, 2012, Accra. Synthesis Meeting of the AUSAID-CSIRO Partnership Review.
From 3rd to 5th July, 2012, Dakar. Training of CORAF/WECARD’s Program Leaders and
Managers in Leadership.
From 2nd to 6th July, 2012, Dakar. Technical Exchanges on Communication Activities bet-
ween the World Bank and CORAF/WECARD.
6th July, 2012, Dakar. Transfer of charges between Dr Aboubakar N’Joya, the incoming Director of Programs and Dr Harold Roy-Macauley, the former Director of Programs.
From 11th to 12th July, 2012, Dakar. Mid-Course Assessment of CORAF/WECARD’s
2012 Work Plan.
From 23rd to 28th July, 2012, Abidjan and Niger. Diagnosis of WAAPP Cote d’Ivoire and
Niger’s Communication Systems.
From 26th to 27th July, 2012, Ouagadougou. Regional Workshop on the System for Rice
Intensification.
Meetings organized by Partners
From 30th to 31st July, 2012, Abidjan. Meeting of AFRICA RICE’s Experts