BIODIVERSITY ACP PROJECT HOLDS A REGIONAL WORKSHOP IN WEST AFRICA ON NEGLECTED AND UNDERUTILIZED CROP SPECIES IN COTONOU, BENIN

Following the launch of Biodiversity project in Entebbe, Uganda from the 9th to the 11th of February 2010, country level surveys were carried out in Benin and Ghana in West Africa to identify the status of Neglected and Underutilized Crop Species (NUS). Accordingly, a regional workshop was organized to build on these results from Ghana and Benin and to compile regional experiences identifying commonalities and differences that may exist. The workshop took place in Cotonou, Benin from 8th – 10th June 2010 hosted by Institut de Recherché et de Développment sur la Biodiversité des Plantes Cultivées, Aromatiques et Médicinales (IRDCAM), One of the major implementing partners of the Biodiversity ACP Project. More specifically, the workshop aimed to:

· Give an overview of the status of NUS research and marketing in West Africa

· Provide recommendations to guide research and capacity development on NUS in the region

· Strengthen networking, knowledge sharing and joint action in West Africa

· Advise on the focus of Pan African International Conference on NUS Research and Development

Participants were drawn from Mali (2), Senegal (4), Ghana (4), Benin (6) and Nigeria (4). Bioversity (1), RUFORUM (1), IFS (1), IRDCAM (1) and ANAFE (2) were also represented. The participants represented a diversified background in natural resource management. The Bioversity International and IFS representatives were very instrumental in providing technical guidance to the discussions. The workshop had a number of presentations and group work activities to achieve the set objectives The presentations includes: Benin national survey report and outcomes of national stakeholder workshop held earlier before the current workshop, Ghana national survey report and the outcome of the national stakeholder workshop . Presentations were also invited from Mali, Nigeria and Senegal to provide insights/experiences on NUS for comparisons purposes.

By the end of the three day meeting, West African needs on NUS research and Capacity Development were identified, three groups of NUS were prioritized and these were; cereals and legumes, leafy vegetables and root crops (tubers) and fruit trees, however the species in each group varied by country. Additionally, policy issues both at international and national level relevant to NUS were identified and categorized as in: Agricultural, Biodiversity, educational, Health and Nutrition. Finally the workshop participants agreed on the need to conduct an international conference on NUS that will create an opportunity to share the outcomes of the project so far. Suggestions were made that NUS should be used as a new tool to ensure food security and income generation for poverty alleviation; food security, wealth and health.

Participants ranked the meeting as highly successful and are looking forward to taking the process further as per agreed timeline. They see the potential of NUS in improving smallholder farming family livelihoods throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Please download workshop report from here