Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali - Università degli Studi di Udine
Udine , July 14th, 2013
Fuoco Perfetto Email: fuocoperfetto@altervista.org Object: BeBi – Agricultural and environmental Benefits from Biochar use in ACP Countries (FED/2009/221814) – Invitation to the Final Conference (Rome, 6th September 2013)
Dear Sir/Madam, the “Agricultural and environmental Benefits from Biochar use in ACP Countries (Bebi)” project is ending with its last activities and finalizing the project outputs. Bebi was a three year project (ending in November 2013) funded by ACP Science and Technology Programme of the European Union (EU). It involves four research organizations (University of Udine as lead partner, National Research Council of Italy, University of Lomé in Togo, University of Cape Coast in Ghana and Njala University in Sierra Leone) and three local NGOs (Sauve Flore Togo, ASA Initiative Ghana and CORD Sierra Leone). The project aimed at lessening the pressure of ACP population on their forested area while increasing soil fertility of croplands and to endure an integrated sustainable growth. In particular, we focused on the objective of using more efficiently crop residues and, at less extent, wood adopting pyrolysis process in innovative, low-cost, biochar producing cooking stoves. In this context, a slow pyrolysis system, appropriate for different feedstocks and adapt to produce the energy necessary for household (5-10 people per household), has been developed, tested, built locally (i.e. local raw material and local manpower) and distributed in 8 rural villages of the three involved Western African countries. The slow pyrolysis lowtemperature system offers the distinct advantage that process conditions can be optimized for the recovery of biochar and syngas. Biochar, when added to soil, has been shown to improve soil fertility and crop yield. You can find more details about project activities at http://www.bebiproject.org. We would be very glad if you would like to take the opportunity to share our achievements and participate in our final conference, which will be held in Rome at FAO headquarters on September 6th 2013. The agenda, which you can find below, is organized into two main slots: in the morning we will have a keynote speech by one of the most important researcher in the biochar issue. Then, the University of Udine will give an overview on the Elsa stove which has been developed thanks to Bebi. Finally, the African partners will present the project results in Ghana, Togo and Sierra Leone. In the afternoon, a round table will be held involving institutions, partners, investors and NGOs: the purpose of this afternoon session is to share ideas in order to draw up possible further perspectives for cooperation. DIPARTIMENTO DI SCIENZE AGRARIE E AMBIENTALI Via Delle Scienze, 206 (Rizzi) - 33100 Udine (Italia) - +39 0432 558600 vox - +39 0432 558603 fax – web http://www.disa.uniud.it/ mail amministrazione.disa@uniud.it CF80014550307 P.IVA 01071600306
Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali - UniversitĂ degli Studi di Udine
We thank you for the kind attention and look forward to receiving your feedback at your earliest convenience also to organize pass to enter FAO facility. Kindest regards,
Prof. Alessandro Peressotti BEBI project leader
DIPARTIMENTO DI SCIENZE AGRARIE E AMBIENTALI Via Delle Scienze, 206 (Rizzi) - 33100 Udine (Italia) - +39 0432 558600 vox - +39 0432 558603 fax – web http://www.disa.uniud.it/ mail amministrazione.disa@uniud.it CF80014550307 P.IVA 01071600306
Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali - Università degli Studi di Udine
BEBI FINAL MEETING Preliminary agenda September 6th Location:
Philippines room Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Via delle Terme di Caracalla
Timetable: 9:00 - welcome speeches: BEBI project, Alessandro Peressotti ACP representative, Michèle Dominique Raymond (under verification) EU representative African Union representative, Anthony Isoe Okara (Deputy Chief of Staff, Bureau of the Deputy Chairperson ) and Mrs. H.E. Dr. Elham Mahmoud Ahmed Ibrahim (Infrastructure and Energy Commissioner) (under verification) FAO representative 9:30 - Keynote speech (C. Steiner, to be confirmed) 10:15 - BEBI project general overview (Peressotti) 10:45 – The Elsa stove: characteristics, performances and potentials (Bluecomb and University of Udine) 11:15 – Coffee break 11:30 - Project results Study n. 1, University of Lomé and Sauve Flore Study n. 2, University of Cape Coast Study n. 3, Njala University 12:45 – Conclusions (Peressotti, Alberti) 13:00 - Lunch 14:00 - roundtable “Pyrolitic stove and biochar technology implementation in African countries” Chairman: Paola Rosà, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Trento Participants: UNIDO ECOWAS African Union FAO Bebi project partners DIPARTIMENTO DI SCIENZE AGRARIE E AMBIENTALI Via Delle Scienze, 206 (Rizzi) - 33100 Udine (Italia) - +39 0432 558600 vox - +39 0432 558603 fax – web http://www.disa.uniud.it/ mail amministrazione.disa@uniud.it CF80014550307 P.IVA 01071600306
Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali - Università degli Studi di Udine
Global Alliance International Biochar Initiative NGOs 16:00 – coffee break 16:15 – continuation 18:00 – end of the conference
Please confirm your participation to the conference at alberti@uniud.it in order to arrange passes to access FAO headquarter.
DIPARTIMENTO DI SCIENZE AGRARIE E AMBIENTALI Via Delle Scienze, 206 (Rizzi) - 33100 Udine (Italia) - +39 0432 558600 vox - +39 0432 558603 fax – web http://www.disa.uniud.it/ mail amministrazione.disa@uniud.it CF80014550307 P.IVA 01071600306