1 The Regional Multidisciplinary Platform “Rural communities, Environment and Climate in West Africa” http://www.ppr-srec.ird.fr/ UE, Bruxelles 26th November, 2013
Jan 03, 2016
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The Regional Multidisciplinary
Platform
“Rural communities, Environment
and Climate
in West Africa”
http://www.ppr-srec.ird.fr/
UE, Bruxelles 26th November, 2013
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The Regional Multidisciplinary Platform“Rural communities, Environment and Climate in West Africa”
How do European and African research, innovation and development actors cooperate ?
Why must European – African actors (research, innovators, farmers, ..) cooperate ?
Focus on WEST AFRICA
• a region of high population growth,
• sensitive to climatic hazards,
• the well-being of its population depends heavily on the availability and
the access to natural resources
• the projections for the future are uncertain,
Food security, environment and climate are linked in West Africa.
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The Regional Multidisciplinary Platform“Rural communities, Environment and Climate in West Africa”
How do European and African research, innovation and development actors cooperate ?
Moreover, it is estimated that• 80% of Africa's population depends directly on agriculture for their
livelihood • and the sector has 70% of full-time jobs. • a 1% increase in agricultural productivity reduces poverty by 0.6% in
Africa (Source: Forum for Agricultural Research in• Africa: http://www.fara-africa.org).
In this perspective, small farmers have a key role to play in improving
the food security and preserving natural resources
Food security & the preservation of natural resources In the face of climate change
Not only African challenge, but African and European shared and common interest taken into account by Bi-regional dialogue & Strategy
Why must European – African actors (research, innovators, farmers, ..) cooperate ?
How do European and African research, innovation and development actors cooperate ?
How can European – African actors (research, innovators, farmers, ..) cooperate ?
Food security & the preservation of natural resources In the face of climate change
Sharing a commun platform towards a commun objective
At the regional
scale in order to
impact strategies at
national & regional
levels
Should be tackled
In a cross-disciplinary
approach
To promote innovations
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At the regional
scale in order to
impact national &
regional strategies
In a cross-disciplinary
approach
Innovations for the resilience of rural communities and natural resources in West Africa, and promote
Adaptations to climate change
Environment
Rural communities
Clim
ate
Food security & the preservation of natural resources In the face of climate change
How can European – African actors (research, innovators, farmers, ..) cooperate ?
Sharing a commun platform towards a commun objective
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Environment
Rural communities
Clim
ate
Merging various Scientific Expertise for
New knowledge; Education & training, Innovation
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Rese
arch
Policy makers
End-Users
Strengthen the dialogue
Between
Provide EXPERTISE to decision-makers and end users
Food security & the preservation of natural resources In the face of climate change
How can European – African actors (research, innovators, farmers, ..) cooperate ?
Sharing a commun platform towards a commun objective
A regional
ambition
7
4 pillars
Regional Research projects Field Observatories
International laboratories Capacity building
How can European – African actors (research, innovators, farmers, ..) cooperate ?
Sharing a commun platform towards a commun objective
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AgronomyEthno-botanic
Plant genetics
Hydrology
Soil Ecology
Phyto-pathology
Anthropology
Example; Benin
How can European – African actors (research, innovators, farmers, ..) cooperate ?
Gathering EXPERTISE
At the beginning 300 scientists, from 100 institutionsLarge diversity of expertise (excellence scientific, on fields)
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Example; Burkina Faso
Ecologie
Agronomy
Soil Science
EconomyEntomology
GeographyHydrology
Sociology
Virology
How can European – African actors (research, innovators, farmers, ..) cooperate ?
Gathering EXPERTISE
At the beginning 300 scientists, from 100 institutionsLarge diversity of expertise (excellence scientific, on fields)
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Example; Ivory Cost
AgroMeteorology
Climate Sc.
Ecologie
Hydrology
Climate Model.
GIS
Chemistry
How can European – African actors (research, innovators, farmers, ..) cooperate ?
Gathering EXPERTISE
At the beginning 300 scientists, from 100 institutionsLarge diversity of expertise (excellence scientific, on fields)
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• AMMA : West African Monsoon, its variability and its impacts
examples
To encourage multi-disciplinary High level regional ProgrammesPillar : Regional Research
projects
How can European – African actors (research, innovators, farmers, ..) cooperate ?
Gathering EXPERTISE
• CEREO : ecological and social meta-rules that confer viability and sustainability to agro-socio-ecosytems (cereals)
• …. (see web site for others)
• ESCAPE : past and future vulnerability of rural communities in Africa to environmental and climate change; adaptation
At the beginning 300 scientists, from 100 institutionsLarge diversity of expertise (excellence scientific, on fields)
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How can European – African actors (research, innovators, farmers, ..) cooperate ?
Creating common infrastructure
Joint Laboratory
Pillar : International Lab
LMI Prediction of climatic and anthropogenic impacts on Water Resources in sub-Saharan Africa
LMI IESOL Ecological intensification of agricultural soils in West Africa
LMI ECLAIR West-African Climate, African Monsoon, Climate change
LMI PATEO Heritage and Territory of Coastal Wetlands
LMI Plant Pathogens Observatory in West Africa: Biodiversity-Biotechnology-Biosafety
and Biosecurity
LMI LAPSE Adaptation of plant and soil microorganisms to abiotic stresses
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PhDs students,Technical trainings
To stimulate the reinforcement of building capacity of African students, and permanent staff
Pillar : Building capacity
How can European – African actors (research, innovators, farmers, ..) cooperate ?
Creating common infrastructure
Joint Laboratory
Pillar : International Lab
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How can European – African actors (research, innovators, farmers, ..) cooperate ?
Creating common infrastructure
Multidisiciplinary Observatories
Pillar : Observtories
Long-term monitoring from 1990’s over key regions of Land surface, Ocean, Atmosphere, Aerosols and chemistry
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How can European – African actors (research, innovators, farmers, ..) cooperate ?
EXPERTISE (Science & Field) common infrastructure+
• To transfer of inoculation technology (symbiotic microorganisms) to famers in West Africa
• To monitor and forecast crop yields in west Africa (Agrhymet)
• To set up on field participatory plateform for Jatropha (UE-Europaid Project)
Rese
arch
Policy makers
End-Users
• Able to answer to local needs (some examples)
How can research advance the innovation process ?
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An example
Societal research: Partnership Research Laboratories - Producer organizations
for transfer of inoculation technology (symbiotic microorganisms)
How can research advance the innovation process ?
Innovation plateform
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How can research advance the innovation process ?
Inoculation (addition to plant culture of microbe cells) of selected symbiotic microorganisms (rhizobia and mycorrhizal fungi):
- technological innovation of research, alternative to chemical fertilizers- environmentally friendly and inexpensive- improves agricultural productivity and soil fertility
Soyben inoculation of in Bénin (source : P. Houngnandan) Peanuts inoculation in Senegal (source : A. Kane)
Non inoculé InoculéNon inoculé Inoculé
Integration of symbiotic micro-organisms in soil crop management
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How can research advance the innovation process ?
Fact: Inoculation underutilized by users West Africa
Conclusive lab results but lack of in situ research
Lack of dissemination of inoculation technology to users
Establishment of partnership in SENEGAL Researchers in Soil microbiology Producer organizations Agricultural and Rural services
based on network of producers' organizations in Senegal under the leadership of CNCR (Conseil National de Concertation et de Coopération des Ruraux)
Partnership approach• Get to know• Working together• Consider a long-term collaboration• Ensure capacity building• Enter the research in societal project
Social value of research
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How can research advance the innovation process ?
Initiative released in West Africa under leadership of ROPPA based on existing networks:
Laboratoires of microbiological research
National farmers' platformsMali
Senegal
Burkina
Niger
Benin
Project of incubationOrganization of inoculum production and
quality control
Quality control Mass production
Up-scaling using
OPs
Social entreprise Laboratory
Impacts : • Sustainable development and respect for users
• Long-term collaboration between researchers and farmers
• Appropriation and diffusion of innovations driven by the Producer Organisations (OPs)
• Present demand of producers:inoculum in mass and of quality
• Need partnership with the private sector
Social value of research
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How can research advance the innovation process ?
Rese
arch
Policy makers
End-Users
Monitoring and forecasting the crop yields in Africa
An example
Observation of millet cropping systems in Niger
Research topic: Impact of climate on crop yields
Development, improvement of a crop model in Niger
y = 0,63x + 472,68R² = 0,34
0200400600800
10001200140016001800
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
Sim
ulat
ed g
rain
yie
lds
(kg
ha-1
)
Observed grain yields (kg ha-1)
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Main collaborations : CIRAD (Montpellier) et AGRHYMET (Niamey)
The crop model is now used by AGHRYMET to provide a monthly bulletin of monitoring and forecasting of the cropping season
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Large diversity of Scientific “expertise” For Innovation and Participatory R&D
Large diversity of InfrastructureFor building capacity
Field ObservatoriesFor long term multi-disciplinary surveys
The Regional Multidisciplinary Platform
“Rural communities, Environment and Climate
in West Africa”
Environment
Rural communities
Clim
ate
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Rese
arch
Policy makers
End-Users
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The Regional Multidisciplinary Platform
“Rural communities, Environment and Climate
in West Africa”
Environment
Rural communities
Clim
ate
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Rese
arch
Policy makers
End-Users
SREC a West African - French network
BUT wish to move from an African-French level
to a more African – European Level
WISH to share SREC to European partners :• Sharing forces and scientific competences• Identifying synergies and Seeing how to work together• Strengthen Researcher - end users - policy makers links• Being more competitive for funds