Monthly Bulletin of the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development
Agricultural Sectors And Market Promotion on Agenda
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rom 27 to 28 January, 2009, Ouagadougou. Theme 4, “Developing agricultural sectors and promoting markets”, of the regional investment Program (PRIA), was recently launched by a workshop, for the finalizing of analysis tools, namely the agricultural value chain. Experts, coming from the six countries concerned—Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Niger, and Senegal—, and partners, including CORAF/ WECARD, recommended countries’ consultants selection, in charge of the realization of studies, and defined the framework of the session. The theme comes within the framework of the Conference of Ministers of Agriculture of West and Central Africa (CMA/WCA) and the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC).p
ECOWAS: West Africa Component of PCD Launched
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rom 30 to 31 January, 2009, Accra. The representatives of the member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the West African Economic and monetary Union (WAEMU), the Mano River Union, the Comité inter-Etats de lutte contre la secheresse au Sahel (CILSS), and CORAF/WECARD have proceeded to the launching of the West Africa component of the Community-based communautary based development Program. The transition from “the ECOWAS of States ” to “ the ECOWAS of people ” (Continued on page 2)
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Number 02
FEBRUARY 2009
CORAF/WECARD-EU: Partnership Relaunched
anuary 22, 2009, Dakar. The headquarters of the Delegation of the European Commission (DEC) in Senegal has hosted an important meeting on the relaunching of the partnership between European Union and CORAF/-WECARD. The DEC comprised Mr. Stephane Halgand, Advisor, Head of the rural development department, and Mrs. Amparo Gonzalez Diez, his assistant, and that of CORAF/WECARD Mr. Paco Séréme, Executive Director, Jean-Rostand Kamga Jiadias, Administrative and Financial Director, and Vincent Joseph Mama, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer.
Mr. Stephane Halgand (at your left), Mrs. Amparo Gonzalez Diez, Mr. Jean-Rostang Kamga Jiadias, and Mr. Paco Sérémé ready to re-stard the EU-CORAF/WECARD partnership.
First of all, Mr. Paco Séréme presented the Sub-regional Organization and insisted on the reforms, so as it complies not only with the commitments made to its development Partners, but also to contribute to effectively reduce the poverty in West and Central Africa. With regard to the reforms, we can name the new strategic and operational Plans, the institutional change Plan, the governance and procedure manuals, and the periodic audits. On his turn, Mr. Stephane Halgand welcomed these achievements that contribute to the strengthening of partners’ trust. He declared that, as the European Union’s Commission is concerned, 2009 will be the year of the relauching of the partnership with CORAF/WECARD. But why are we re-starting a partnership that well began? It is because relationships have been undermined by the management of the Programme d’appui à la recherche agricole en Afrique de l’Ouest (PARAO) (Agricultural Research Support Program in West and Central Africa). Since December 2008, things started to be in order and this meeting is one of the steps forward. p
ECHO IN BRIEVE
(Continued from page 1)
has now come into effect. But this is thanks to the initiative of the Heads of State and Government conference of June 2007 that adopted its vision for 2020. For that, the conference has instructed the Community’s commission to elaborate this Program targetting the achievement of this vision. The workshop has allowed the participants to set up the regional committee of the Program, validate the national studies projects, the methodology for elaborating an assistance program on trade as well as the roadmap for setting up. The Union and Community met to harmonize their views, in order to take ownership of member States’ contributions. As for these latters, they focused on the national studies projects. The CORAF/WECARD representatives, at their side, seized the opportunity of the event to exchange views with Community and Union’s officials on strategic issues, who are keen on them. p
ECHO FROM NARS
PSAOP 2: Shared Baseline Case Analysis
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rom 13 to 15 January, 2009, Saly Portudal, Senegal. Thirty participants from agricultural ministries and agricultural research and development institutions as well as scientific and technical Partners have held a workshop on the study of the baseline case of phase 2 of the Programme des services agricoles et des organisations des producteurs (PSAOP 2) (agricultural services and producers organizations Program). Over two days, the attending specialists reviewed the content of the baseline study report, developed the communication strategy of the Program, strate-
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Agricultural Science And Technology: for New Indicators
rom 20 to 21 January, 2009, Entebbe, Uganda. Mr. George Achu Muluh, CORAF/WECARD’s Planning Officer, participated in the regional work-
The workshop was organized by the Agricultural Science and Technology Initiative (ASTI). At the end of the meeting, the 18 participants have, above all, recommended ASTI should improve the use of existing indicators, by promoting them, before suggesting the collection and adoption of new crop varieties, the
The participants hardworking for new agricultural development indicators.
shop for the identification of new decision-making indicators for development.
management of human resources, etc. p
gies for adopting technologies, and, finally, validated the strategies taking into account environmental issues relating to its implementation.
ing about the West African agricultural productivity Program (WAAPP). Coming from National Agricultural Research and Development Institutions, Producer’s Professional Organizations, the Private Sector, Universities, and international institutions, the participants have exchanged widely views, in order to understand how this Program functions in Senegal. Mr. Dogo Seck, director of the Centre d’étude regional pour l’amélioration de l’adaptation à la sécheresse (CERAAS) (Regional Study Center for Adaptation to Drought), and Mr. Pape Sall, Director of the Fonds national pour la recherche agricole et agroalimentaire (FNRAA) (National Fund for Agricultural and Food Research) have brought the necessary clarifications. As for Mr. Vincent Joseph Mama, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of CORAF/ WECARD, he has explained the origin of WAAPP, indicated the choice of speculations by the three countries, and
Our delegation, which comprised Mr. Vincent Joseph Mama, CORAF/ WECARD Planning Officer, and Ms. Julienne Kuiseu, Program Assistant, successfully got the audience take into account the environmental concerns, a critical issue in the CORAF/ WECARD’s natural resource management Program. p
WAAPP Senegal: How to Become Eligible to
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anuary 27, 2009, Dakar. To inform about the eligible research themes and to present the different execution and management manuals of projects, such were the key objectives of the national workshop on information shar-
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ECHO FROM NARS gave information about the mobility of researchers, transfer of technology and the partnership between research actors. p
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CORAF/WECARD, Henceforth KKM Project Leader
rom 15 to 17 January, 2009, Ibadan, Nigeria. The management transfer process of the Kano-Katsina-Maradi learning site Project (PKKM), started in 2008, has ended by the handover between the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and CORAF/ WECARD, which is hence-forth the leading Institution. However, the applicants at the position of Project Coordinator, left vacant by Mr. Abdoulaye Tahirou, being not able to meet the placement requirements call, this latter has been requested to take it on to the end of the renewed application process. p
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Endemic Ruminant Livestock as a Theme of a Regional Project
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rom 20 to 23 January, 2009, Banjul. The Projet régional de gestion durable du bétail ruminant endémique en Afrique (PROGEBE), (regional Project on sustainable endemic ruminant livestock management in Africa) has been launched, during a workshop grouping experts and partners on livestock issues in Africa.
Relaunching rice farming in Sub-Saharan Africa
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rom 20 to 30 January, 2009. Senegal, Mali, Ghana, and Nigeria have hosted inception workshops on the emergency Initiative for relaunching rice production in sub-Saharan Africa. The Initiative aims at providing solutions to major constraints facing rice produc-
The Project targets four pilots countries which are Mali, Senegal, Gambia, and Guinea, where the sector will be enhanced through the training of livestock breeders and the capacity building of researchers. Mr. Marcel Nwalozie, CORAF/WECARD Program Director, has said his fully satisfaction to see such Project come into action for the benefit of livestock breeders in the West and Central Africa. More importantly, it is worth noting that CORAF/WECARD is a member of PROGEBE steering committee. p To achieve this, at least 10,000 rice producers per country will be supported, over two years, thanks to a 2,550 billions CFA francs budget, granted by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and to the technical support from the West African Rice Development Association (WARDA), the Catholic Relief Services
Food Crisis: Producers Bring their Stones
rom 21 to 23 January, 2009, Dakar. The Conseil national de la coordination des ruraux (CNCR) (National Council for the Rural Coordination) of Senegal has organized a workshop on food crisis and the rural stakeholders’ solutions. There was the chance to enable the producers’ organizations to reflect on it, in order to have their voice heard and to achieve a food sovereignity strategy. They first searched to understand the root causes of such a crisis, before coming up with ways and means of prevention. Ms. Julienne Kuiseu, CORAF/WECARD Program Assistant, helped to better know the institution by these producers and users at the core of its concerns. p
Researchers and Producers marshaled for the relaunching of rice production in sub-saharian Africa.
tion, through a technological package comprising quality seeds, well-used mineral fertilizers, and the capacity building of farmers and their organizations strenghtened on good crop management practices.
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(CRS), and the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC). Mr. Ernest Assa Asiedu, CORAF/ WECARD food crops Program Coordinator, has ensured the effective moderation of the workshops. p
ECHO FROM HEADQARTERS
PRIA: Eight Countries Launched Theme 2
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rom 15 to 16 January, 2009, Dakar. "Sustainable development farming", the theme 2 of the Programme regional d’investissement agricole (PRIA) (regional agricultural investment Program) has right been launched by 22 participants of a workshop, held in the Senegalese capital city. Dependent on CORAF/WECARD and the International Center for Soil Fertility and Agricultural Development (IFDC), the Program is part of the implementation of the common agricultural Policy of ECOWAS, adopted in January 2005. In the presence of Mr. Ernest Aubee, Senior Program Coordinator for the agriculture committee of ECOWAS and of Mr. Paco Sérémé, Executive Direc-
Monthly Bulletin of the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development
Director of Publication Simon Zok
Director of the newsroom Paco Sérémé
Editor-in-Chief
Anatole Yékéminan Koné
Newsroom
Julienne Kuiseu Ernest Assah Asiedu
Layout
Ngor Sarr
On line Gorgui Alioune Mbow
French version available
CORAF/WECARD, BP 48 Dakar RP CP 18523, Sénégal Tel.: + 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
tor of CORAF/WECARD, Mr. Vincent Joseph Mama, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of CORAF/WECARD, presented the Program and its six themes, which are improvement of water management, the sustainable development farming, the improved management of other natural resources, the development of the agricultural sectors and market promotion, the prevention and management of food crises and other natural disasters, and, finally, the institutional strengthening. With light of this, the participants have examined and adopted the updated terms of reference, set out the specifications, including a workplan, and the method for monitoring the study to be launched soon. They have also selected sixteen national consultants, 2 in each of the eight countries which are Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Niger, Sierra Leone, and Togo. The final report will be validated by a regional workshop to be held, from 19 to 20 March, 2009, in Togo. p
ECHO TO COME From January 29 to February 6, 2009, Niamey. CORAF/WECARD is invited to participate in the regional forum on the future development of the livestock sector in the Sahel and West Africa. From 2 to 3 February, 2009, Bissau. The second meeting of the steering and monitoring committee of the Programme regional de biosécurité (regional biosafety Program) of the Economic and Monetary Union of West Africa has invited too the CORAF/ WECARD biotechnology and biotechnology Program Coordinator. From 2 to 6 February, 2009, Dakar. Mrs. Irene Annor-Frempong, Regional Coordinator of the SCARDA of FARA has paid a work visit to the headquarters of CORAF/WECARD.
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Announcement
Recruitment of a Coordinator for the Kano/Katsina/Maradi (KKM) pilot learning Site (PLS) of the subSaharan Africa Challenge Programme (SSA CP). Opening date: January 27, 2009 Closing date: February 26, 2009 For further information, please go to our Website: www.coraf.org From 10 to 11 February, 2009, Dakar. CORAF/WECARD takes part in the third meeting of the scientific and administrative council of the Cheikh Anta Diop University research unit, organized in partnership with the dryland pastoral pole. From 12 to 13 February, 2009, Accra. FARA gathers its Sub-regional Organizations (SROs), so as to prepare the mid-term review of the SCARDA Program. From 16 to 20 February, 2009, Accra. CORAF/WECARD attends the midterm review of the SCARDA Program, with the team of consultants from the Department for International Development (DFID). From 16 to 19 February 2009, Dakar. CORAF/WECARD is represented at the information and program development meeting gathering the representatives from 15 countries and 16 theme group leaders of the joint agricultural policy of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). From 26 to 27 February, 2009, Abuja. CORAF/WECARD will participate in the information and mobilization meeting of Development Partners in the implementation of the joint-agricultural policy of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). p