Monthly Bulletin of the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development
Number 20 (OCTOBER 2010)
Natural Resource Management in West and Central Africa :
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research priorities validated
ORAF/WECARD’s stakeholders and partners convened from 9th to 11th August, 2010, in Douala, to validate the research priorities in the field of natural resource management in West and Central Africa. During three days of reflection, the participants reviewed and validated the constraints and opportunities related to the management of natural resources; they also identified sustainable partnerships and capacity strengthening needs. This workshop was also the opportunity to review and prioritize the themes, the subthemes and project ideas in natural resource management. The workshop retained the main following themes: soil and water sustainable management and adaptation to climate change, sustainable intensification and diversification of agriculture, conservation and improvement of biodiversity, research on policy and socio-economics in the field of natural resource management.
Stakeholders and partners exchanged for the sustainable development of natural resources in West and Central Africa.
Recommendations were made on the need to take into consideration biofuel, the conflicts between breeders and farmers and environmental impact assess-
ment in order to improve the final document which should serve as a basis for all the activities of natural resource development in West and Central Africa.p
Development of plantain cultivation :
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a regional project launched
ORAF/WECARD organized a launching workshop for the «Promotion of integrated management technologies for plantain cultivation to increase farm productivity » project in collaboration with CARBAP. This was from 27th to 30th September, 2010 in Douala. During these three days, the participants validated the project document and the rules for partnership and management with regard to this project’s implementation. They harmonized the approaches and modalities for the project’s implementation. They appropriated the project document. Each partner was made accountable with regard to his role
in the project’s implementation and in the sharing and appropriation by all of CORAF/WECARD requirements on the project’s financial and administrative management. Let’s recall that this project covers six CORAF/WECARD member countries : Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Togo, Benin, Ghana and Congo. It deals with the dissemination of innovative technology. CORAF/WECARD has chosen the CARBAP to ensure the coordination of this project at the regional level. In each country, there is going to be a national coordinator that will work with associated researchers according to the various themes.p
Partners, researchers and coordinators appropriated the project documents during this workshop
CARBAP :
PARTNERSHIP :
An assessment mission
FIRCA and CARBAP intend to strengthen their partnership
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mission of CORAF/WECARD’s experts went to Cameroon from 9th to 12th August, 2010 to assess the African Research Center on Banana tree and Plantain (CARBAP) in view of its transformation into a CORAF/WECARD regional center for excellence on banana and plantain trees in West and Central Africa. The mission comprised Dr Harold ROYMACAULEY, the Director of programmes, Dr Michel SEDOGO, the chairman of the Scientific and Technical Committee, Jean Rostand JIADIAS KAMGA, the Administrative and Financial director and Dr Bouraïma OSSEINI, as a resource person. The delegation visited the six operational laboratories of the Center (laboratory of agronomy, laboratory of phytopathology, laboratory of nematology/entomology, laboratory of post-harvest technology (TPR), laboratory of molecular biology and laboratory of in-vitro culture). The delegation also exchanged with the staff on the equipment they use and on the various constraints they face with regard to the equipment and its maintenance. The evaluators expressed their satisfaction with this visit and confirmed that it strengthened their idea that the CARBAP was quite well equipped on banana and plantain trees. Nevertheless, according to the Delegation, accompanying measures reveal to be necessary for the strengthening of the existing potential, among others, more laboratory equipments, the implementation of sustainable funding mechanism for the center, the strengthening of the partnership with the NARS, that of the relationship with the universities of the region to facilitate the training of postgraduate students from all CORAF/WECARD member countries. The final decision will be delivered in the coming weeks.p
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delegation of the Interprofessional Fund for Agricultural research and Consultancy (FIRCA) of Côte d’Ivoire paid an official working visit to the African Research Center on Banana tree and Plantain (CARBAP) on 11th August, 2010. The aim of this visit was to allow the members of this FIRCA delegation to get familiar with the CARBAP experience in the field of research and development on banana and plantain trees and to lay the foundation for collaboration among the two organisations. The FIRCA delegation visited the laboratories, the production unit of the vegetable material and the collection of more than 700 books on banana and plantain trees. The two organisations agreed to sign a future framework agreement of cooperation. The fields of this agreement will be specified in the coming days. p
Commissioned project on post-harvest activities :
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training of trainers
bout thirty participants comprising cassava and rice processors and extension agents from West Africa convened in the framework of a training workshop held at the Songhaï Center in Benin. They met in order to validate the training documents developed at the beginning of the year by food-processing experts. Once they are back in their country, these trainers will take on the transfer of the knowledge they’ve gained to their colleagues and partners. Coordinated by the Songhaï Center with regard to its implementation, funded by USAID and coordinated by CORAF/WECARD at the regional level, the post-harvest project aims at improving the quality of post-harvest products made from rice, cassava, sorghum and millet and to increase the market value and the incomes of processors in West Africa. p
OPERATIONAL PLAN :
T
Launching of the study on the reference situation for the indicators of CORAF/WECARD’s Operational Plan he workshop for the launching of the baseline study on the indicators of CORAF/WECARD’s 2008 – 2013 Operational Plan was hosted at the conference room of CORAF/WECARD’s Executive Secretariat from 28th to 29th September, 2010. During this meeting, the participants reviewed the terms of reference for the study and developed the specifications along with a work plan for the consultants. They also discussed the modalities for the drafting of the contracts. These two days facilitated real exchanges with the consultants for the mutual understanding of the objectives and of the results expected from their work.p
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CCAFS :
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The CCAFS presented to West African stakeholders and partners
he West African climate change experts and their partners convened to draw up the intervention themes of the Mega programme on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). This was from 28th to 30th September, 2010 in Dakar. They were informed on the initial CCFAS plans of support to research initiatives for development. They also shared information on ongoing initiatives so as to avoid duplication of efforts. They identified the components of the West African food system and asses the forces for change in the region. The participants also proposed projects and ideas for the development of networks, communication strategies and capacity strengthening initiatives. The Mega programme on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) is a partnership between the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and the Earth System Science Partnership
World Cowpea Congress
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the experts fight against the threats to this crop. bout a hundred experts on cowpea research and production convened on the occasion of world congress on this crop. It was from 27th September to 1st October, 2010 in Saly Portudal. This meeting organised by IITA and its partners facilitated the assessment of research on cowpea which is a speculation rich in nutrients, and above all, the intensification of research activities on cowpea. The production of this speculation is subject to various threats. In view of its importance in the region and of food insecurity, the participants first reviewed the constraints related to cowpea development, shared research experiences before making concrete proposals to efficiently fight against the threats to the survival of cowpea.p
The discussions between the experts enabled people to understand CCAFS’s objectives, its operating system and, above all, its research themes of the.
(ESSP). The CCAFS aims at overcoming the threats of climate change in order to achieve food security and to strengthen farmer livelihoods and natural resource management.p
7th meeting of the National Experts Committee of the Africa Rice Center :
F
the center encouraged in its efforts of developing rice-growing in Africa
rom 13th to 15th September, 2010, the National Experts Committee of the Africa Rice Center convened in Cotonou to review the activities conducted by the center during one year and to make resolutions and recommendations that should be exploited during the next session of the Council of Ministers. Dr Harold ROY-MACAULEY, the director of programmes of CORAF/WECARD represented its organisation to this meeting to which it been invited as an observer, and contributed to enrich the debates. The exchanges of these three days dealt with the main achievements of the center from September 2009 to August 2010, the activities of the headquarters in Côte d’Ivoire, the Global Rice science
Partnership (GRiSP) and action groups, the rice statistics report and State Members’ report. At the end of this meeting, it was noted, among other resolutions and recommendations, the Committee’s satisfaction with the approval, by the Board, of the Consortium of the Global Rice Science Partnership (GRiSP) Megaprogramme and the recommendation for the drafting of a 2011 – 2020 Strategic Plan.The committee urges the center to keep its headquarters in Côte d’Ivoire. In 2011, the Africa Rice Center is going to celebrate its 40 years and the Council of Ministers will be held in The Gambia.p
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CAADP :
GMO :
consultation of the pillar specialists
accountability and damage compensation
n the framework of the support to countries for the formulation and review of National Agricultural Investment Programs (NAIPs), an orientation meeting for the specialists of the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) was held from 12th to 14th September, 2010 in Dakar. The ECOWAP/CAADP’s operationalisation process has led to the definition of many NAIPs. Subsequently to the review of the NAIPs for a first group in June, the African Union, ECOWAS and the World Bank are planning to support the NPIAs’ formulation and the review of
a second group of six West African countries (Cape-Verde, Mali, Niger, The Gambia, the Republic of Guinea, Benin). Before the support and review missions, the 4 CAADP pillar specialists that have been selected to support the countries participated in this orientation meeting in order to familiarize with the methodology and the tools used to support the NAIPs formulation and review. Dr Mbène Dièye Faye, the manager of the Policy, Market and Trade Programme, will form part of the team that will support the NAIP’s formulation in Mali and the NAIP’s review in Niger. p
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YÉÜ tÇç |ÇyÉÜÅtà|ÉÇ àÉ á{tÜx? cÄxtáx vÉÇàtvà anatole.kone@coraf.org
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
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
O
n 14th July, 2010, the African Biosafety Network of Expertise (ABNE) organised a workshop in Ouagadougou on accountability and damage compensation resulting from transboundary movements of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO). This Ouagadougou meeting is part of a series of preparatory meetings for the Cartagena Protocol’s Conference of Parties scheduled in Japan. The aim of these meetings is to sensitize the African delegates on scientific and technical issues in the field of biosecurity and to make them efficiently participate in this meeting that will deliver major decisions.p
Meetings organised by CORAF/WECARD 25th – 29th October, 2010, Bamako. 3rd ordinary session of the WAAPP/PPAAO regional pilot committee 25th – 27th October, 2010, Bamako. Launching workshop of the regional project on cowpea 18th – 22th October, 2010, Saly Portudal. 8th ordinary session of CORAF/WECARD’s Scientific and Technical Committee 11th – 14th October 2010, Abidjan. Exchange and sharing workshop on the coordination of the WAAPP/PPAAO’s fiduciary activities.
Meetings organised by partners 18th - 22th October, 2010, Dakar. Subregional technical workshop on the management, dissemination and analysis of agricultural data in Sub-Saharan Africa. 18th – 22th October 2010, Accra. Workshop on the development of a strategy for the management of information and communication to facilitate information sharing and improve decision-making 9th – 10th October, 2010, Ouagadougou. Forum on the funding policy of agricultural research and on the strategies for the valorisation of research results on food security 4th – 6th October, 2010, Ouagadougou. African forum of Farmer's organisations on CAADP 4