Learning Agrobiodiversity

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

2010-06-24T06:13:00.000-07:00

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

Announcement: Call for Proposal Writing Workshop, Benin, July 12-16, 2010

2010-04-27T06:20:00.000-07:00

Announcement: Call for Proposal Writing Workshop, Benin, July 12-16, 2010

We hereby invite young scientists from Benin, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria and Senegal to submit a Research Note and apply for participation in a Proposal Writing Workshop to be held in Benin on July 12-16, 2010. Please find attached the Call for research notes and invitation to the Benin workshop, and Guidelines for concept notes (in English and French):

Download the Call in French

Download the Call in English

Download the Guidelines for the Concept Note in French

Download the Guidelines for the Concept Note in English

Biodiversity Project Inception Meeting

2010-04-14T01:24:00.000-07:00

Agricultural biodiversity - the subset of biodiversity important for food and agriculture – is a source of products that sustain livelihoods and services that maintain ecosystem functions. Agrobiodiversity and sustainable development are intimately related. Agrobiodiversity provides resilience to livelihood systems through the ability to mitigate and adapt to systems change and shocks. Agrobiodiversity maintains ecosystem functions through water and nutrient cycling, pest and disease regulation and pollination. Agrobiodiversity is also a part of our cultural heritage.

The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) launched three new ACP-S&T Projects during a 3-day workshop at Entebbe, Uganda on the 10th to the 12th of February 2010. One of these new projects is the Biodiversity Project, entitled: "Building human and institutional capacity for enhancing the conservation and use of neglected and underutilized species of crops in West Africa, and Eastern and Southern Africa".

The overall objective of the Biodiversity Project is: "Poverty reduction and greater food and nutritional security in West Africa, and Eastern and Southern Africa through enhanced conservation and use of neglected and underutilized species (NUS)".

Specific Objectives of the Biodiversity Project

Establish the state of and needs for human and institutional capacity for research on and marketing of NUS
Strengthen capacities in young scientists to develop and manage research projects on NUS and to publish results
Strengthen capacity in key thematic areas of NUS research
Strengthen dissemination of NUS research results
Inform policy makers on the role and benefits of NUS

Partners in the Biodiversity Project

RUFORUM
ANAFE
University of Nairobi
University of Malawi
Institut de Recherché et de Développment sur la Biodiversité des Plantes Cultivées, Aromatiques et Médicinales (IRDCAM), Benin
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, - Plant Genetic Resources Research Institute, Ghana
Biodiversity International, Rome
International Foundation of Sciences (IFS), Sweden

Please download the Biodiversity Project Inception Meeting Notes From Here

Proceedings of the Regional Workshop: Learning Agrobiodiversity (21-23 January 2009)
The regional workshop "Learning Agrobiodiversity: options for universities in Sub-Saharan Africa" was held on the 21st to the 23rd of January 2009 in Nairobi, Kenya. The proceedings of this workshop have been compiled and edited by Per Rudebjer, Boudy Van Schagen, Sebastian Chakeredza and Henry Kamau. Please Download The Report From Here