Monthly Bulletin of the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development
Number 14 (MARCH 2010)
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consultation for the mid-course review
he stakeholders and partners of the first phase of the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Program (WAAPP) convened in Dakar, from 24th to 25th February, 2010, in order to prepare for the mid-course review. So as to guarantee the quality of the results obtained during the first phase and share the experiences and lessons learnt, a WAAPP mid-course assessment mission will be conducted by the World Bank in April 2010.
The managers of the Mali, Ghana and Senegal coordination units, the monitoring and evaluation managers, that of the national centres of specialisation and the members of the Executive Secretariat of CORAF/WECARD found appropriate to hold this consultation in order to harmonize the information to be gathered. The participants agreed on the types and formats of the information to be provided for the assessment mission; they assessed the technical reports on the activities that have been implemented since the launch of the project.
Plantain processing :
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a new technology has been developed n the framework of its research activities on processing, the African Research Centre on Banana and Plantain (CARBAP)’s postharvest technology laboratory has developed simple methodologies for the production of banana and plantain pulp flours. So as to make the preparation of the Ntuba more practical, it has been envisaged to use flour. This would represent a popular solution that would help to promote this meal worldwide. At the end of various successful tests, the following rapid reconstruction culinary protocol has been adopted : boil 320 ml of water in a pot or in a sauce pan; add continuously 100 grams of flour and blend well with a wood spatula; cook for 5 minutes at low heat and preferably serve hot with a sauce according to the consumer’s taste.
The participants got equipped to facilitate the WAAPP mid-course review.
The Bt cowpea project :
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the field activities
he IER is one of the three institutions involved in the implementation of the Bt-cowpea project funded by the USAID. The manager of the biotechnology and biosafety programme (GPBB) held working sessions with the authorities of the IER for the monitoring of the activities conducted in the framework of the Bt cowpea project’s implementation. This was on 15th and 16th February, 2010.
During the project’s launch workshop, it was decided to do the tests conducted in a confined environment on the Bt-cowpea in Mali only if the IER asks for and obtains an agreement allowing it to conduct tests in natural environment. The precondition for all that is the publication of the implementing decrees of the law on biosafety that would facilitate the creation of the appropriate institutions for the analysis of the application files. With regard to that, the biosafety focal point in Mali has planned to hold a technical meeting in Bamako aiming at finalizing the decree proposals to submit to the Ministry of the Environment. The outcome of this process is of interest to the Biofortified Sorghum project. Mali is likely to participate in the second stage of this project to be held in Burkina Faso and in the FSPCotton too. On the periphery of this visit, the GPBB hold a working session with the Mission of the European Commission that is making an inventory of the region in the field of biosafety in order to fund the capacity strengthening project.
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WAAPP 2 :
a workshop for the validation of the study on the Environmental and Social Management Framework Plan
n the framework of the measures for the expansion of the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Program (WAAPP) to 4 new countries, CORAF/WECARD commissioned a study on the assessment of the environmental impact
and on the management framework of pests and pesticides.
A workshop for the validation of the study brought together stakeholders and partners in Dakar from 22nd to 23rd February, 2010.
The WAAPP’s consultants and stakeholders exchanged in a good atmosphere for the finalization of the ESMFP.
Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Niger and Nigeria are the 4 new countries that benefit from the WAAPP. Missions in these countries have enabled the consultants to draft an Environmental and Social Management Framework Plan (ESMFP) and Pest and Pesticide Management Plan that will include an analysis of the institutional, legal and environmental framework within which the WAAPP will be implemented in these countries. The ESMFP provides guidance on environmental monitoring and includes institutional constraints analysis to screening all implementation processes that will lead to the assessment of potential environmental impacts and to the use of other environmental management measures, if necessary. The Plan also provides recommendations on environmental capacity building. These two days were also dedicated to the gathering of contributions and suggestions aimed at improving the study and at incorporating the participants’ comments and suggestions in the final report. Following the plenary discussions, general recommendations were made. They dealt with the assessment of the harmonisation of national laws on pests and biosafety, the
delivery of documents on the ESMFP and the PCGPP to countries; the inventory of the control laboratories so as to support them in their accreditation process in the framework of the WAAPP; the publication of a manual of procedures in the field of phyto- and zoosanitary products’ control in the subregion and its dissemination to all interested stakeholders, and finally the harmonisation of national laws on pests while taking into account the World Bank’s requirements.
PROGEBE : the Regional Steering Committee holds its 3rd session
As the regional management body for the Regional Project on Sustainable Management of Endemic Ruminant Livestock in West Africa (PROGEBE), the regional steering committee held its third session in Bamako from 8th to 9th February, 2010.
The Regional Project on Sustainable Management of Endemic Ruminant Livestock in West Africa (PROGEBE) is a research and development project which is being implemented in The Gambia, in Guinea, in Mali and in Senegal. Its aim is to preserve and to strengthen the genetic characteristics of the three species of endemic ruminant livestock (the Ndama cattle, the Djallonké sheep and the West African dwarf goat), to contribute to poverty reduction and the strengthening of food security and also to enhance the productivity and to improve the exploitation of endemic ruminant livestock within a supportive and enabling institutional environment. It will benefit about two million and a half people from the four participating countries. The project is mainly funded by the African Development Bank, the Global Environment facility (GEF) and the governments of member countries. It is implemented by the International Trypanotolerance Centre (ITC) for the AFDB and UNOPS for GEF-UNDP components. The Afdb and GEF components will respectively last 6 (2008 – 2013) and 10 years (2008 – 2016). The main partners of the project are the ministries and institutes in charge of livestock in member countries (ITC in The Gambia, IRAG in Gui-nea, IER in Mali and ISRA in Senegal), the ILRI, the CIRDES and FAO. In Bamako, the members of the Steering Committee reviewed and adopted the project’s implementation report for 2009 ; they also adopted the 2010 workplan.
Dr Hamadé Kagoné, CORAF/WECARD’s Livestock, Fisheries and Aquaculture program, represented the institution at this meeting
Agricultural statistics : development partners develop a strategy
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nder the auspices of the AfDB and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, with support from FAO, an international conference has been held in order to draft a guide to capacity building for the improvement of agricultural statistics in Africa. This was done from 1st to 4th February, 2010 in Tunis. Various experts representing regional and subregional institutions, institutions specialized in the management of agricultural statistics in Africa and internationally participated in this meeting. The exchanges between experts facilitated the implementation of a strategy for the management of agricultural statistics, and the implementation of a coalition of donors for fundraising activities with the view to develop a programme on agricultural statistics in Africa. George Muluh, CORAF/WECARD’s planning officer, represented the institution at this meeting.
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PSTADA :
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the focal points of the CORAF/WECARD region in conclave in Abidjan
he coordinators of the project for the Promotion of Science and Technology for Agricultural Development in Africa (PSTADA), at the level of CORAF/WECARD and FARA, and the focal points in the West and Central Africa NARS members convened, from 3rd to 5th February, 2010, in Abidjan in order to assess the implementation of the RAILS and DONATA components.
The project for the Promotion of Science and Technology for Agricultural Development in Africa (PSTADA) is a project that contributes to the production and to the better management of agricultural information in Africa and also to a better transfer of technologies and good agricultural practices. This project also contributes to strengthening the capacity of agricultural information experts. This project funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and initiated by the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) is managed by the three subregional Organisations (CORAF/WECARD, SADC-FANR and ASARECA). It is executed in all African SubSaharan countries. It has the three following components: (1) Knowledge and information management, (2) Transfer of agricultural technologies and good practices, (3) Project coordination and management.
During three days, the participants reviewed the implementation of the PSTADA roadmap
The participants during a training session to the eRAILS tool
and coordination and management activities. They listed the challenges they face when executing the project before proposing solutions. They exchanged on the platform concept and had their capacity in using the
Following the actions conducted by the C4 (West and Central Africa cotton producer countries) at the World Trade Organisation, the French Foreign and European Affairs Ministry (MAEEF) has decided to support the cotton sector in this region through the FSP-Cotton. The CIRAD has been appointed the main operator of this project by the MAEEF and CORAF/WECARD is the contracting authority.
Due to technical problems, some of the activities that had been approved in 2007, and then in 2008 in the framework of the project
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the field activities
the agreement is being finalized
n the framework of the finalization of the implementation agreement, in Mali, for the priority solidarity funds project in the field of cotton, the manager of CORAF/WECARD’s biotechnology and biosafety programme visited the Mali Central Veterinary Laboratory on 12th February, 2010.
They endowed themselves with a roadmap for the first half of the present year in order to facilitate the implementation of the RAILS and DONATA components.
The RYMV project :
The FSP-Cotton project :
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eRAILS tool strengthened.
have become obsolete because a lot of things have occurred in-between, mainly in the field of the Bt-cotton. The first funds of the project have been made available to CIRAD in the mid-2009 and an agreement on the project supervision which links the CIRAD and the CORAF/WECARD was signed at the end of 2009, after the release of the first part of the funds. The CIRAD also signed bilateral agreements with the countries involved in the project (Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Togo).
In Bamako, information on the project and on its positioning with regard to CORAF/WECARD’s biotechnology and biosafety programme has been exchanged. Planned activities have been reviewed for the finalization of the implementation agreement with the authorities of the Rural Economy Institute (IER) of Mali
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he Rice Yellow Mottle Virus (RYMV) project was launched in 2009 and is coordinated by the National Centre of Agronomic Research (CNRA) in Côte d’Ivoire. After a few years of implementation, CORAF/WECARD’s Biotechnology and Biosafety programme conducted field visits to monitor its activities. This was done on 18th and 19th February in Abidjan.
With regard to the roadmap that had been set up, the activities of the project are well conducted. In Abidjan, the GPBB exchanged on the draft concept note for the organisation of a regional training on biotechnology with the CNRA. He also met with the Ivorian authorities about the ECOWAS Ministerial Conference on Biotechnology scheduled to take place in Abidjan.
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WAAPP 2 :
ECOWAP :
the preparation process is in progress
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n the framework of the preparation process for the acceptance of countries in the 2nd phase of the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Program, a preassessment mission visited the applicant countries to discuss with stakeholders and partners.
The World Bank and CORAF/WECARD are coordinating the implementation of the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Program. The first phase started in 2007. It covers 10 years and has had three beneficiary countries for the time being. A 25% increase in agricultural productivity for the priority speculations identified in the countries is the result that is expected at the end of the 10 year-period.
In the framework of the second phase of the WAAPP which is to cover 9 other countries that are Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin, Togo, The Gambia, Sierra Leone and Liberia, a mission conducted a fieldwork with the aim to assess these countries’ strengths and weaknesses in the agricultural sector.
Monthly Bulletin of the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development
Director of Publication Abubakar Yusuf
Director of the newsroom Paco Sérémé
Editor-in-Chief
Anatole Yékéminan Koné
Newsroom
Info / Com Department
Layout
Alassane DIA
On line Gorgui Alioune Mbow
French version 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
Chad :
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sensitization on biotechnology and GMO
stakeholders and partners exchange on the 2010 roadmap
rganized by the Ministry of Agriculture with the support of the West Africa Cotton Improvement Programme (WACIP) and the USAID, the national sensitization workshop on biotechnology, biosafety and genetically modified organisms (GMO) was held from 13rd to 15th January, 2010 in Ndjamena.
ollowing the Abuja meeting on the funding of the ECOWAS Common Agricultural Policy, the stakeholders and partners met in order to take stock of the situation and set up a roadmap for 2010. This was from 1st to 4th February, 2010 in Lomé.
This meeting brought together scientists, officials of the public administration, the delegates of producers’ organisations and of the civil society.
The Abuja Conference on the funding of the regional agricultural policy (ECOWAP/PDDAA) represents a major and decisive step in the operationalisation of the ECOWAP and the Re-gional Offensive for food production and against hunger. This facilitated the delivery of important results such as the recognition of the developed vision as a relevant framework for the transformation of the West African agricultural sector to reach food security and sovereignty, to struggle against poverty and for economic sovereignty ; the insourcing of the National Agricultural Investment Programmes on which the implementation of the ECOWAP/CAADP rests at the national level; and finally, the adoption of the modalities of implementation for the ECOWAP/-CAADP at the regional level and for the regional partnership agreement between the main regional stakeholders and the technical and financial partners.
During two days, the participants exchanged right information with stakeholders interested in the biotechnology issue ; they also assessed biotechnology and biosafety in Chad before proposing a capacity strengthening strategy for the Biosafety National Committee. Above all, they formulated recommendations to the Government of Chad in the field of biotechnology and biosafety.
2nd – 3rd March, 2010, Dakar. Working session between ECOWAS and CORAF/WECARD on mobilizing programmes
In Lomé, the participants assessed the conference and devised on the 2010 roadmap. They also exchanged on mobilizing programmes before consolidating the various regional partners’ action programmes.
4th – 5th March, 2010, Accra. Exchanges between the West Africa USAID’s managers and the Executive Secretariat of CORAF/WECARD 12th – 13th March, 2010, Abidjan. Technical meeting between the experts of the Mano River Union countries on the rice programme in the framework of the second phase of the WAAPP
15th – 19th March, 2010, Dakar. Training session on institutional change aimed at Francophone facilitators
Research and development :
Strengthening partnership for the benefit of farmers
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15th – 20th March, 2010, Bamako. Training on the IA4RD concept and the value chains
ith the view to strengthen the relationship between agricultural research and development, experts convened from 3rd to 4th February, 2010, in Nairobi, in Kenya, in order to propose sustainable solutions.
22nd – 25th March, 2010, Cotonou. Third technical mission of the Executive Secretariat of CORAF/WECARD for the preparations for the 2nd scientific week and the 9th General Assembly of CORAF/WECARD
Before proposing solutions for sustainable collaboration between agricultural research and development, the participants shared their views on the concept of partnership, why should people live in partnership, and, above all, what prevents partnership from being successful?
22nd – 26th March, 2010, Bamako. Africa Rice Congress organised by the Africa Rice Center
28th – 30th March, 2010, Cotonou. Workshop on ECOWAS mobilizing programmes 28th – 31st March, 2010, Montpellier, France. First Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development organised by the Global Forum for Agricultural Research (GFAR).
They agreed on the importance of a sustainable partnership between agricultural research and development; they shared a model of partnership between the stakeholders.
29th – 31st March, 2010, Ouagadougou. Negotiation and validation workshop for the WAAPP, phase 2
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